Specific Question on LOR's

[JReiss]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi All,

I'm in the process of getting together Letters of Recommendation for a comittee letter to apply this summer. I'm doing a post-bacc and I've gotten 5 letters --- 1 science, 2 research/clinical, 1 undergrad extra - curricular. I'm confident that they're all good letters but I was wondering if I should really aim to get one more from a science professor. I know many med schools like to see 2 letters from science faculty --- but does this only apply if you submit individual LOR's and don't have a committee letter? I'm debating whether to ask a science professor at my post-bacc institution who I had last semester (and currently have again this semester) but both classes were/are very large and although I've gotten to know the prof, I would definitely feel better asking for a letter with one more semester under my belt getting to know her (it's a 2 semester course with the same prof). But all comittee letter materials are due in a month. Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[JReiss]

Anybody?

 

[hopefuldoc97239]

I don't know how these committee letters work at other schools, but at my school the committee letter is only written after you have professors forward letters to the committee. The professors' letters are then included with the committee letter, so the committee letter is basically a summary of the letters plus a comparison of you against the other people whom the committee reviewed in that cycle.

So, if you're applying to a school that specifically asks for two science letters, then I'd say you better give them two!

Remember that you can send different LORs to different schools, so tailor your choices accordingly. If School X asks for two science letters, send them two. But if School Y only asks for one science letter and you only have one strong science letter, don't send them a weak one also.

 

[OhioDoc]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of getting together Letters of Recommendation for a comittee letter to apply this summer. I'm doing a post-bacc and I've gotten 5 letters --- 1 science, 2 research/clinical, 1 undergrad extra - curricular. I'm confident that they're all good letters but I was wondering if I should really aim to get one more from a science professor. I know many med schools like to see 2 letters from science faculty --- but does this only apply if you submit individual LOR's and don't have a committee letter? I'm debating whether to ask a science professor at my post-bacc institution who I had last semester (and currently have again this semester) but both classes were/are very large and although I've gotten to know the prof, I would definitely feel better asking for a letter with one more semester under my belt getting to know her (it's a 2 semester course with the same prof). But all comittee letter materials are due in a month. Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Some people don't like to do this - but when I've asked professors for LORs, I've always asked them if they were comfortable writing me an excellent LOR. I've never encountered a situation where someone has declined to, but I'd hope this simple test might filter out any letters that are anything less than great.

 

[hopefuldoc97239]

Some people don't like to do this - but when I've asked professors for LORs, I've always asked them if they were comfortable writing me an excellent LOR. I've never encountered a situation where someone has declined to, but I'd hope this simple test might filter out any letters that are anything less than great.

+1

I ask if they would be comfortable writing me a "strong" letter.

 

[zonapellucida]

you can assume that it'll be a strong letter if a professor offered to write you a letter before you even asked him, right?

 

[raltima07]

you can assume that it'll be a strong letter if a professor offered to write you a letter before you even asked him, right?

This would be a fair assumption, as long as you had a good relationship. Him offering to write it after you got an F in the class and blew up the lab might be him trying to sabotage you...

 

[zonapellucida]

This would be a fair assumption, as long as you had a good relationship. Him offering to write it after you got an F in the class and blew up the lab might be him trying to sabotage you...

Haha, I got an A in his class.
I went to every single one of his office hours the whole semester too.

I got a little paranoid because he wrote my letter in like 2 hours.
I calmed down a little when I came to a realization that professors have a "template" LOR and they just tweak little things here & there for each student

 

[goldenwest]

I went to every single one of his office hours the whole semester

If I was your professor I would probably end up writing something like "OH GOD RUN AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN FROM THIS STUDENT WHILE YOU STILL HAVE THE CHANCE." But, I guess some professors like students to visit.

 

[zonapellucida]

If I was your professor I would probably end up writing something like "OH GOD RUN AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN FROM THIS STUDENT WHILE YOU STILL HAVE THE CHANCE." But, I guess some professors like students to visit.

hahah! yea i was going to ask him for a LOR but he offered to write me one saying that I was one of his favorite students