I assisted with his masters research with alot of grunt work.....is it ok if I can get a letter of reference from him?
Reference letter from masters student
- Thread starter gunner1
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Is he a PhD candidate? Meaning--he has his masters and is now working on a PhD?
no hes just finishing up his masters this year. I helped him with alot of his masters work.
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The source of the letter will be considered very weak. You can have anyone you want write you LOR. Just keep in mind, who is saying things about you is almost as important as what they are saying. You should have the PI or whoever the masters work is under write the letter.
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Tell the MS student that you're going to be asking the PI for a letter of recommendation, and ask him if he'd be able to offer his input to the PI.
When you ask the PI, tell them that (the MS student) said he'd be willing to offer his perspective, since you worked closely together.
Regardless, the letter should be from the PI. If the MS student writes it for the PI, that's fine, but it should be from the PI.
When you ask the PI, tell them that (the MS student) said he'd be willing to offer his perspective, since you worked closely together.
Regardless, the letter should be from the PI. If the MS student writes it for the PI, that's fine, but it should be from the PI.
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unless he's in the program you are applying to, the letter of reference will not have much weight at all.
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Yup, have the guy coauthor with the head faculty dude.
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I would get the MS student to write the letter if he knows you best, but definitely have the PI sign it - or have them write it together
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+1
I was a master's student a year back and was a T.A. for an introductory micro lab. I was asked by the student in my class, if I could write her a LOR for a scholarship. I told her I would be happy too but also mentioned that it would have more weight if I had the supervisor (who is a PhD) sign it. She agreed to this and I wrote the letter and had it co-signed by the supervisor.
By having a professor sign the letter, it adds more weight to it. It is because with a professor, you know what institution he or she works at and what he or she has accomplished. It gives adcoms a feeling of security knowing that they are to verify the legitimacy of your LOR. It is not as easily done with a master's student (alone) because he or she has not published yet and may be working for another university within <2 years.
