Science letter of reccomendation quandary!

[CalBear456]

Hello all,

I am a senior at a large quarter system public university who will be applying this cycle!

Currently, I am taking a nanotechnology class with a very established science professor who I have a great relationship with. I plan to use him as a writer for my science letter of recommendation. However, this specific class is not really in any of the science departments and is actually part of the honors department.

Nonetheless, I am going to be taking a chemistry class with the same professor next quarter( my final quarter before application). So, my question is- how should I approach this situation to ensure that this letter gets counted as a science letter and when should I plan to ask him?

My spring quarter grades won’t come out until mid June and I was under the impression that it is more fruitful for a professor to be talking about your character and attitude advice opposed to your grade. I am sure he will say something along the lines of “this student took my NanoTech class and is currently enrolled in my chemistry class”

Thank you!
@gonnif @LizzyM
@gyngyn
@WedgeDawg

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[907914]

Hello all,

I am a senior at a large quarter system public university who will be applying this cycle!

Currently, I am taking a nanotechnology class with a very established science professor who I have a great relationship with. I plan to use him as a writer for my science letter of recommendation. However, this specific class is not really in any of the science departments and is actually part of the honors department.

Nonetheless, I am going to be taking a chemistry class with the same professor next quarter( my final quarter before application). So, my question is- how should I approach this situation to ensure that this letter gets counted as a science letter and when should I plan to ask him?

My spring quarter grades won’t come out until mid June and I was under the impression that it is more fruitful for a professor to be talking about your character and attitude advice opposed to your grade. I am sure he will say something along the lines of “this student took my NanoTech class and is currently enrolled in my chemistry class”

Thank you!
@Goro @gonnif @LizzyM

The nanotech class may not technically be part of the science departments, but is the faculty a member of the "Chemistry" department and is the scope of the class a science class? It would really depend on how the professor writes about you/your performance in the scope of the class as well as how the prof describes themselves and their relationship to you.

If you specifically ask them to identify as your chemistry and nanotech prof (that way the science part comes first). .

 

[LizzyM]

First question: in what department does he hold an appointment? Is it Chemistry, Biology, Physics, or in engineering or something else? Pretty much the first thing is to look at the title the writer holds. Professor of Chemistry?: Science letter. Professor of Comparative Literature and Philosophy: non-science. Engineering is a gray zone but I'd count it as science.

The letter needs to be submitted/uploaded by September 1. There is no rush. Really and seriously. Unless you need this for a pre-med committee that will write a committee letter, there is no race to get these submitted.

Make an appointment to sit down with the professor. Have the AAMC guideline for letter writers. Have a copy of anything you've written for the class. Some professors will want your CV and/or transcript and/or essay but emphasize that the committee will have all of that before them and what they want from the letter writer is what the writer has observed, not a rehash of the dossier.

Have you demonstrated that you are intellectually curious? Do you go beyond what is covered in the class? Are you a team player who works well with others in the class? Have you been a good collaborator? Have you been a leader in class projects or discussions? It is hard to get a really informative letter from a professor who gives lectures in halls seating 100s of students but if you have managed to stand out you may get one that will be helpful to the adcom.

 

[bearcalbear2019]

I have a similar question like this. I have a professor who is in psychology and a multidiscilplinary neuroscience institute on campus I took neuropsychogy and clinical neuroscience with. This should be fine for science right? He is a neurologist so well versed in physiology...

 

[CalBear456]

First question: in what department does he hold an appointment? Is it Chemistry, Biology, Physics, or in engineering or something else? Pretty much the first thing is to look at the title the writer holds. Professor of Chemistry?: Science letter. Professor of Comparative Literature and Philosophy: non-science. Engineering is a gray zone but I'd count it as science.

The letter needs to be submitted/uploaded by September 1. There is no rush. Really and seriously. Unless you need this for a pre-med committee that will write a committee letter, there is no race to get these submitted.

Make an appointment to sit down with the professor. Have the AAMC guideline for letter writers. Have a copy of anything you've written for the class. Some professors will want your CV and/or transcript and/or essay but emphasize that the committee will have all of that before them and what they want from the letter writer is what the writer has observed, not a rehash of the dossier.

Have you demonstrated that you are intellectually curious? Do you go beyond what is covered in the class? Are you a team player who works well with others in the class? Have you been a good collaborator? Have you been a leader in class projects or discussions? It is hard to get a really informative letter from a professor who gives lectures in halls seating 100s of students but if you have managed to stand out you may get one that will be helpful to the adcom.

Hey,

So, the letter writer is a "PhD" faculty of the College of Physical Sciences- Chemistry, so he's definitely a science professor. Just to reiterate, the class I am currently taking with him is titled: Honors 174- "Future Impact of Nano in New Technologies." So it's not explicitly in the science department and even more, the course description is stated as follows:

-"Examination, for general audience, of science behind nanotechnology and way in which nano can potentially influence medical care, environment, energy issues, military, government, and economics. Demonstration of how nano, like current technology, cannot be separated from ethical, cultural, political, and social issues."

Apart from the fact that I am currently scheduled to take a Chemistry class with him next quarter, are you saying that if I were to just get a letter from him for this class- it would count as a science letter due to his designation? The nanotech class itself that I am currently in is definitely science heavy but I feel that from reading the course description ADCOMS would likely view it as a non science, so that was my quandary.

Thanks! @gonnif @LizzyM

 

[907914]

Hey @LizzyM ,

So, the letter writer is a "PhD" faculty of the College of Physical Sciences- Chemistry, so he's definitely a science professor. Just to reiterate, the class I am currently taking with him is titled: Honors 174- "Future Impact of Nano in New Technologies." So it's not explicitly in the science department and even more, the course description is stated as follows:

-"Examination, for general audience, of science behind nanotechnology and way in which nano can potentially influence medical care, environment, energy issues, military, government, and economics. Demonstration of how nano, like current technology, cannot be separated from ethical, cultural, political, and social issues."

Apart from the fact that I am currently scheduled to take a Chemistry class with him next quarter, are you saying that if I were to just get a letter from him for this class- it would count as a science letter due to his designation? The nanotech class itself that I am currently in is definitely science heavy but I feel that from reading the course description ADCOMS would likely view it as a non science, so that was my quandary.

Thanks!

Adcoms won’t take the Time to read every course description you have. Just ask the prof to word it in a science letter way and he will have your back. Don’t stress.

 

[CalBear456]

The nanotech class may not technically be part of the science departments, but is the faculty a member of the "Chemistry" department and is the scope of the class a science class? It would really depend on how the professor writes about you/your performance in the scope of the class as well as how the prof describes themselves and their relationship to you.

If you specifically ask them to identify as your chemistry and nanotech prof (that way the science part comes first). .

Hey, thank you so much for your response. Yes, he is a PhD professor who is part of the Chemistry department. So basically here's the quandary: I am currently a senior and I am about finish the winter quarter and will be starting my final quarter at my school this April. Currently, I am taking his nano class this winter quarter and will be taking his chemistry class next quarter!

Based on this fact, when would you think I should ask him the letter? For the quarter system, we will be receiving our final grades in mid June. So prior to then I would technically have only finished the nano class and in progress for the chemistry class. Do you think it's okay if I just end up not taking his class next quarter and just ask him to write me a letter based on the current Nano class in a science manner, that would count?

 

[907914]

Hey, thank you so much for your response. Yes, he is a PhD professor who is part of the Chemistry department. So basically here's the quandary: I am currently a senior and I am about finish the winter quarter and will be starting my final quarter at my school this April. Currently, I am taking his nano class this winter quarter and will be taking his chemistry class next quarter!

Based on this fact, when would you think I should ask him the letter? For the quarter system, we will be receiving our final grades in mid June. So prior to then I would technically have only finished the nano class and in progress for the chemistry class. Do you think it's okay if I just end up not taking his class next quarter and just ask him to write me a letter based on the current Nano class in a science manner, that would count?

If he writes about it in that manner, yes. Otherwise, I would ask for the letter at the beginning of the quarter with a due date of mid May. Ask him to observe you in that class in particular for evaluation.

 

[Jack-Kennedy35]

Bump! Similar inquiry

 

[LizzyM]

I have a similar question like this. I have a professor who is in psychology and a multidiscilplinary neuroscience institute on campus I took neuropsychogy and clinical neuroscience with. This should be fine for science right? He is a neurologist so well versed in physiology...

If a letter writer has MD or DO after their name, and they taught you an academic subject, it will almost always be considered a science letter.