UIC Letters

[fuumin]

I'm not sure if there's a topic here that may have already answered this, but...

The University of Chicago in Illinois requests three recommendation letters "expected to be from professors or instructors under whom you have studied"...does this mean you have to have taken a class under them?

Two of my best letters come from those who I have done research under (one professor and one in corporate research)...does anyone know if it would be okay to at least send the letter from my research PI as one of the letters? She IS a professor, I just haven't taken her class...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[g3pro]

Well, UIC expects them from professors that you had classes with... but you should surprise them by sending in the letters you have now. Anything to stand out from the masses is good!!

 

[velo]

A letter from a PI is great and I think follows the spirit of their expectations. I would shy away from using two if I were you...or at the very least send 4 letters, 2 from the research mentors and two from professors who have taught one of your classes. They'll be happy to hear how you function in a research setting, but are likely to also be interested in how you are in traditional didactic academic settings.

 

[fuumin]

thanks for your quick feedback!

I have enough letters from profs whose classes I have taken to fulfill their "expectations", I'm just not sure how good some of them will be compared to the two I mentioned earlier...

Thanks again!

 

[velo]

thanks for your quick feedback!

I have enough letters from profs whose classes I have taken to fulfill their "expectations", I'm just not sure how good some of them will be compared to the two I mentioned earlier...

Thanks again!

If they were willing to write a letter they probably wrote something good. Check to see what the maximum number of letters they will accept is. You can always send three from profs and two additional letters concerning your research.

Without a doubt send at least one of the research letters though, even if its at the expense of a professor's letter.

If I remember correctly when I applied I sent two prof letters and one PI letter to UIC. I got in there so it must not have been a problem.