Transferred x2 getting LOR's from past profs - CC prof LOR?

[Derpz]

So I've worked my way up the academic ladder in the past 28ish months. Joined the Air Force reserves to pay for school, spent a year in boot and tech school training. I then started up at my local CC, transferred after 1 yr to my local state school, transferred again to a top 5 ranked school. Meteoric rise up the food chain and am very thankful. Only took gen ed's at the CC.

I'm applying this upcoming cycle and part of my story is that I'm very open minded to all people/cultures. One of the first things I did when I got out of military training my 1st semester back in school was sign up for an Introduction to Islam course. Many in the military have an anti middle-east slant and after a year of hearing it I wanted to learn the other side of the story. I had an Afghan prof and a class of ~30 where all but 2 of us were of north african/middle eastern/persian decent. Was a great experience and the prof loves me.

Weird to get an LOR from a CC prof when I'm at a top 5 school? We don't have a committee so I'm on my own rounding up letters and have 2 very strong science LOR's from my state school chem & physics profs. I'll be getting 1 or 2 LOR's from my current institution but want to make sure this mix is alright given my transfer student back story. I'll be aiming for top end schools and not sure if LOR's from lower tier institutions (a CC) will hurt me?

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[MDOnlyWillDo]

I don't see why it would. A CC professor may know you more in-depth and write a more personal letter than a university professor with 300 students. If your science LORs are coming from your current school, I think a letter from a humanities class with a unique story and prof who loves you would be awesome.

 

[Derpz]

current top end school: 1 LOR PI, 1 (maybe) from an MD undergrad/med school faculty member here (took his course on issues facing physicians/shadowed quite a bit)
former state school: x2 LOR's - Chem & Physics profs - glowing LOR's - got me into where I'm at now
CC: x1 CC prof Islam course - loves me - a more unique letter

sigh...was easier to stand out at my past school and sure my old LOR's reflect that...i'm just an average derp here trying to keep up. Not sure if I'm getting a bad mix here as LOR's from current institution may be preferable...? Glowing LOR's from profs @ worse schools or decent ones from profs at a top end place?

 

[MDOnlyWillDo]

I'm certainly no expert, but I've always been under the impression that heartfelt, glowing personal letters from any professor were great, regardless of the school. I think your letters are a nice mix- if anything, it shows that you've been a consistently great student no matter where you've attended or what classes you've taken.

 

[drslaughter]

I transferred from a CC as well, and I picked of 2 LOR from profs there. For one, some med schools specifically request LORs from past schools attended. Furthermore, since you took all of your GE courses at CCs, the letters you can get at your Top 5 might not represent you full academic range (I was a molecular bio major who had done all lower divs at my CC, and therefore my 4-year academic letters where only from molecular bio profs). And then finally, if you plan on mentioning in your personal statement that you did want to learn more about Arabic culture for xyz reasons (which I think you should), then it makes even more sense to have a LOR from a prof who can support these statements. On top of that, I think you can upload up to 10 LORs on the AMCAS app, so depending on maximum letters allowed per school, you can just pick and choose which schools you would like that letter to go to.
So basically, get the letter.