Science prof LOR requirements

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copingmethods

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Hi everyone,
Concerning LOR requirements for most schools:
Our premed advisor has told us that when getting the two science letters, they must be in different disciplines; e.g. - you can't get two letters from two different biology professors, they must be biology and chemistry profs, or biology and physics, etc.

When looking through the schools I'm applying to however, none give any mention of this - is this an unspoken rule or is my advisor wrong about this?

Thanks for your help!

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Hi everyone,
Concerning LOR requirements for most schools:
Our premed advisor has told us that when getting the two science letters, they must be in different disciplines; e.g. - you can't get two letters from two different biology professors, they must be biology and chemistry profs, or biology and physics, etc.

When looking through the schools I'm applying to however, none give any mention of this - is this an unspoken rule or is my advisor wrong about this?

Thanks for your help!

I have never heard of such a thing.
 
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Schools don't care. This might be a requirement your advisor has for writing a committee letter. If so, that's dumb. But again, the schools themselves don't care.
 
I didn't even get a second science letter and I did fine getting into places (Hopkins and Emory). I think all premed advisors just want you to do is cover your bases in case something comes up. Like I had one school that wanted two science professors so I did one science prof and one PI that I did my research with. Really, schools are more flexible than you think. Try to get two in two different disciplines cause it might show some breadth in your strengths but honestly its more important to get really strong letters so if two science profs who would write you the best letters are both bio or both ochem or whatever, don't sacrifice strength of letter (like those profs who know you best) for an alternate letter that comes from a prof in a different subject.
 
Schools don't care. This might be a requirement your advisor has for writing a committee letter. If so, that's dumb. But again, the schools themselves don't care.

My school doesn't have a committee, my advisor was saying that this was actually what the schools wanted - it sounds like he was just wrong though, which makes my life easier.
 
My school doesn't have a committee, my advisor was saying that this was actually what the schools wanted - it sounds like he was just wrong though, which makes my life easier.

It may be considered ideal, you'd have to ask someone on some committees to find out. I don't think it's necessary though.
 
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