So has anyone ever heard of someone writing a BAD/NEGATIVE LOR for an applicant???

[yzf600]

I've heard of one just last week...

4 of us undergrads are working with a research prof. over the summer, and it turns out that one of the students was stealing some lab equipment from a storage closet outside of the lab. And this is some semi-big stuff. vortex mixers, expensive pipetters, electronic equip. etc.

it turns out that Prof.XXXX knew what was going on all along (theres a security camera in the hallway) and pretended like nothing was happening.

THe same kid asked for a LOR before he left school and the Prof. "happily" submitted one to our pre-med committee for him. He basically wrote:

To whom it may concern:

mr.xxxx has been stealing university property for the last couple of months....blah blah

he even showed us a copy of the one he submitted...it started off positive and then talks about this stealing stuff at the end.

moral: dont steal from your LOR writer

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[mfrenkie]

flat out awesome.

 

[Lilah]

I’d say this person is lucky if they get away with only a bad letter of recommendation. I don’t know how the pre-med committee will handle this but going to jail would be far worse for his/her medical school application.

 

[tncekm]

That's classic...you've gotta keep us informed on this one. I hope that kid never gets into medical school.

 

[ghostfoot]

I’d say this person is lucky if they get away with only a bad letter of recommendation. I don’t know how the pre-med committee will handle this but going to jail would be far worse for his/her medical school application.

I'd do a breif stint in the Pen for an admission to med school. But how does the Prof. justify watching the theif take school property repeatedly w/o turning him in?

 

[OwnageMobile]

I'd do a breif stint in the Pen for an admission to med school. But how does the Prof. justify watching the theif take school property repeatedly w/o turning him in?

I'd like to know this too. Story seems a bit off without that information.

 

[yzf600]

yea i guess i shouldn't have used the words "school property."

The stuff in the closet was all paid for by our prof. It was pretty much his own private stash. He would give the key to one of us at the end of the day to put stuff back in, which im guessing was his, so that people wouldn't come in and use it if he wasn't there.

At this point its likely that our prof. contacted the thief about his property, but i haven't heard from him since last monday.

the prof. is a real nice guy, almost too nice at times. I'm thinking he might ask for his stuff back in private instead of taking it to the authorities.

Personally, I hope he never finds out about the bad letter and it gets sent out to all his schools.

 

[Mr. Tee]

Vortex machines? You've gotta be kidding me.................why?????

 

[yzf600]

Vortex machines? You've gotta be kidding me.................why?????

yea .....who knows. I'm goin to ask to see the sec. tapes.

 

[maestro1625]

Vortex machines? You've gotta be kidding me.................why?????

what're you talking about man!? whoa, my whole arm just fell asleep... sweet.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Vortex machines? You've gotta be kidding me.................why?????

can you say vibrator?

 

[Dr.TobiasFünke]

Who does that to their PI? I would think a vortex would be obvious and pipette men as well... I think, technically, those amount to enough for criminal grand theft. stupid...

 

[SoupWithAFork]

Yeah, I'm wondering why a kid would want to steal those things... weird...

That's a pretty funny story though, haha.. pwned.

Does anyone know about other people who didn't do something blatantly wrong, but who also got negative or negatively tinged LORs?

 

[Hednej]

Sweet revenge! One of my professors told me once that if some kid who didn't perform in their class asked for a LOR, they would reject them instead of writing one for them.

 

[ghostfoot]

Sweet revenge! One of my professors told me once that if some kid who didn't perform in their class asked for a LOR, they would reject them instead of writing one for them.

That seems like the most humane approach.

 

[modelslashactor]

yeah, all the profs ive talked to have said that they tell poor students that they can write the letter, but the student would probably prefer if they didnt. nevertheless, i know people who were told this and pushed on, and i think all of them eventually got into med school.

 

[somemaybedoc]

yeah, all the profs ive talked to have said that they tell poor students that they can write the letter, but the student would probably prefer if they didnt. nevertheless, i know people who were told this and pushed on, and i think all of them eventually got into med school.

Wow, how much more of a hint did they need?

 

[GuzzyRon]

see the next post

 

[GuzzyRon]

That's classic...you've gotta keep us informed on this one. I hope that kid never gets into medical school.

The dude in the OP's story obviously has some problems. But don't be surprised, guys, if this guy gets an acceptance despite the bad LOR.

If he is able to explain eloquently during the interview that he is motivated to go into medicine by the desire to map the genes responsible for KLEPTOMANIA (which appears to be his problem) and eventually find a cure (say, gene therapy). And that all doctors he has seen have basically told him to go home and die. The entire ADCOM will rise in applause and send him home with his acceptance letter and a free-ride scholarship.

 

[ClockworkDoc]

What a phony story. That prof would have turned in that kid sooner rather than waiting to take is revenge in the form of a bad rec.

 

[nekrogg]

What a phony story. That prof would have turned in that kid sooner rather than waiting to take is revenge in the form of a bad rec.

yea. isnt the prof kind of responsible for turning a blind eye on it and letting it continue? the prof did not know he would be getting revenge. if this story is true, id except that prof to get fired for letting it happen.

in addition, if the student is charged, so should the professor. i think its called being an accomplice since he is helping the student get away.

i smell fish from a mile away.

 

[yzf600]

well.....to those who think im making this stuff up, you're entitled to your opinion.I have nothing to gain by posting some BS story. Just a friendly headsup to people thinking about doing something stupid like this.

THE STOLEN STUFF WAS NOT SCHOOL PROP. LIKE I THOUGHT. Prof. had a choice as to what he wanted to do.

anyway...I didn't think I would get this many responses to my post, but here's the update as of thurs:

our prof. actually called the kid back the day after he left and told him that everything he was doing was on film. the kid apologized and returned a few things a day or two later, and paid for things that coudn't be replaced.

And about the LOR..........prof. said something along the lines of "you might not want to send out the letter I submitted for you.

Again, the profs. waaaay to nice of a guy i think. I wouldn't have said a thing about the LOR.


How do I know these things?

-one of the other students that was in our group was there the same day that the thief came back to return some things. She then relayed the info. back to me.