Recommendation letter woes

[gorays39]

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I'm applying this upcoming cycle and am having issues with letters of rec. I'm not a science major so I've taken fewer science courses than a lot of my friends. I have a non science letter and can get a DO letter, but the science professors I've asked either haven't responded to my email or have told me they don't know me well enough. Admittedly I was a pretty 'head down and shut up' sort of student when I took most of my science prereqs. What should I do? Should I drop by a professor's office and lurk around (since they aren't my professors anymore, I don't know their office hours)? Should I email again?

 

[TUVIX]

Are you take science courses in the spring semester? Can you get a committee letter in place of the science letters? If you really can't get either you will have to take more classes and apply later or you will have to reach out to science professors from your past and ask to meet them in person and tell them your situation and hope they will help you out.

 

[gorays39]

Are you take science courses in the spring semester? Can you get a committee letter in place of the science letters? If you really can't get either you will have to take more classes and apply later or you will have to reach out to science professors from your past and ask to meet them in person and tell them your situation and hope they will help you out.

I am currently taking science courses, but I don't know if it would be prudent to ask a professor for a recommendation that's only had me in class for a month. And they do have a committee letter, but they told us to also get science professor recommendation letters.

When you say reach out to science professors in the past, so you mean via email or in person? Because I asked them via email for appointments to discuss letter of rec and they didn't respond.

 

[TUVIX]

I am currently taking science courses, but I don't know if it would be prudent to ask a professor for a recommendation that's only had me in class for a month. And they do have a committee letter, but they told us to also get science professor recommendation letters.

When you say reach out to science professors in the past, so you mean via email or in person? Because I asked them via email for appointments to discuss letter of rec and they didn't respond.

In your situation I think your best bet is professors you are currently in a course with. You don't have to ask them right now since they have only known you for a month. Just be a good student and speak up a bit more and at the end of the semester you can ask them. Find interesting things from their lecture and stay after class for 5 minutes to talk to them about science or ask them for advice. These things help them get to know you a little bit more. If you are going to ask people from the past and they haven't responded to email then try calling their office number and leaving a message. If that also doesn't work then try stopping by their office as well. You have to be persistent sometimes in this process even if you feel like you are annoying people sometimes. Just be polite and persistent and you will figure it out.

 

[gorays39]

In your situation I think your best bet is professors you are currently in a course with. You don't have to ask them right now since they have only known you for a month. Just be a good student and speak up a bit more and at the end of the semester you can ask them. Find interesting things from their lecture and stay after class for 5 minutes to talk to them about science or ask them for advice. These things help them get to know you a little bit more. If you are going to ask people from the past and they haven't responded to email then try calling their office number and leaving a message. If that also doesn't work then try stopping by their office as well. You have to be persistent sometimes in this process even if you feel like you are annoying people sometimes. Just be polite and persistent and you will figure it out.

Okay, thank you! Since they want the letters by June 1, would asking around the end of April be a good time frame?

 

[TUVIX]

Okay, thank you! Since they want the letters by June 1, would asking around the end of April be a good time frame?

Yea I think that works. Maybe beginning of April even if you can swing it. You want to give letter writers as much time as possible. I think 2 months is pretty typical. However, in your situation you may have to squeeze it in later in the game. One thing I did with at least one letter writer was just let them know that I was on a tight deadline and I would appreciate it if they could get it done faster than normal. It may or may not work but some are understanding of the situation. Also, in the worst case scenario you didn't get them all in on June 1, don't stress out. Applying through AACOMAS anywhere up to August is actually still very early. Of course, the earlier the better, but being a month or two into the cycle will not hurt you too much. Some schools didn't even send me a secondary until September.

 

[lolnotacop]

You have to assume that ADCOMS can tell which letters are the generic "great student did well in my class" and which letters are full of passion with the professor actually advocating for the applicant.

Don't ask them to write you the letter over email. Show that you have some sort of people skills/personality, and go and talk to them face to face. You're asking these people to vouch you and the type of person you are, so you need to develop whatever kind of a relationship you can these next couple of weeks to make the best out of the situation.


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[Dreamstoo]

A DO adcom I talked to years ago said one of the science LORs should be from a pre req. out of the 3 professors I asked for science and non science, the professor I took for a pre req said its been a long time and he wasn't sure if the letter would be the greatest. I had three other letters outside of my school and I felt the other 5 letters I had covered for a possibly mediocre letter from the pre req professor I took in my first two years. It's important to try to take some science courses in your senior year and develop interaction with the professor.

 

[dial1010usa]

As the above posters mentioned talk to your professors. Use the office hours and talk to your professors that way they will get to know you. As you feel comfortable then mention that you need LOR.

 

[gorays39]

Thank you all for your advice! I plan to ask one of my current biology professors for a recommendation at the end of the semester, and as of five minutes ago, one of my other science professors got back to my email and requested a meeting with me. So hopefully everything goes swimmingly! 🙂