Recommendation Letters

[metallicsponge]

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A few questions about LoR. This is really important to me, because it might influence the activities I participate in, so all advice is much appreciated.

I'm going to apply the next coming cycle (2010), and am a heavy research applicant, intending MD/PhD, but am also thinking about MD because my GPA is weak (just over 3.5 in berkeley engineering)

1) I have 2 really solid research recs from 2 full professors at UCSF, 2 so-so recs from volunteer opportunities/community outreach, 1 good rec from an unrelated job (EECS company), and 0 recs from professors who taught me.

Is this alright? I need my Lettesr to stand out since my GPA is subpar.

2) What is the maximum amount of rec letters you can send?

3) Do you need LoR from professors who have taught you?

Many many thanks!

 

[thatcalgal]

You definitely need LOR from professors who have taught you. Typically it is good to have in your stash 2 letters from a science professor and 1 from a non science. That seemed to work well for me during this application cycle. I think one school asked for a science letter from a pre-req course as well so something from physics, g chem, biology or ochem. To cover all the bases if you are going to apply broadly I would have one letter from non science, one-two from upper div science courses and 1 from a lower div science course. I had a couple of EC letters as well, but I think the maximum I gave to any school was just one (some schools dont even ask for one!)