“University faculty” for LORs?

[oregonian19]

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Hello everyone!

So in reviewing what kind of LORs are required by schools, I think I may have run into some issues in deciding what teachers I’m going to ask.

First issue: I only have two science teachers.

Second issue: one is technically an “instructor” (has a PhD), but not a “professor” or “faculty member.”

So my questions are:

1. Can the instructor write my letter and have it count even though they are not “faculty?”

2. I have graduated recently and feel like I have not made strong enough relationships that allow for me to go back and ask for a letter after-the-face. How do I go about getting one (or two) more letter(s)?

3. Does the ”faculty member” need to have taught me in a class? What if I have a volunteer/employment opportunity where my supervisor is a college/University faculty member?

I’m planning on applying for the 2019 cycle, so I may still have time to foster relationships.

Let me know what y’all think! Thank you!

 

[Catalystik]

So in reviewing what kind of LORs are required by schools, I think I may have run into some issues in deciding what teachers I’m going to ask.

First issue: I only have two science teachers.

Second issue: one is technically an “instructor” (has a PhD), but not a “professor” or “faculty member.”

So my questions are:

1. Can the instructor write my letter and have it count even though they are not “faculty?”

2. I have graduated recently and feel like I have not made strong enough relationships that allow for me to go back and ask for a letter after-the-face. How do I go about getting one (or two) more letter(s)?

3. Does the ”faculty member” need to have taught me in a class? What if I have a volunteer/employment opportunity where my supervisor is a college/University faculty member?

I’m planning on applying for the 2019 cycle, so I may still have time to foster relationships.

Let me know what y’all think! Thank you!

1) Faculty are the teaching staff of an educational facility, whether they are professors, teachers , instructors, or lecturers. Faculty need not be tenured to be qualified to write your LOR.

2) Ideally, you will foster new relationships, even if it means taking a science/nonscience class at a community college and cultivating the instructor so they will write you a strong letter of support.

3) Schools vary in their LOR requirements. Some websites are explicit that the faculty member needs to have taught you. Others just say "faculty letter" leaving it open that they might have been a research mentor or employer for whom you TAed (as examples). You need to read carefully.

 

[chaim123]

First issue: I only have two science teachers

After taking all of the pre-req classes for medical school you only have two science teachers? What about intro bio, gen chem, orgo, labs, biochem, etc?

 

[oregonian19]

1) Faculty are the teaching staff of an educational facility, whether they are professors, teachers , instructors, or lecturers. Faculty need not be tenured to be qualified to write your LOR.

2) Ideally, you will foster new relationships, even if it means taking a science/nonscience class at a community college and cultivating the instructor so they will write you a strong letter of support.

3) Schools vary in their LOR requirements. Some websites are explicit that the faculty member needs to have taught you. Others just say "faculty letter" leaving it open that they might have been a research mentor or employer for whom you TAed (as examples). You need to read carefully.

So it sounds like I just need the third letter unless there are specifics/technicalities?

After taking all of the pre-req classes for medical school you only have two science teachers? What about intro bio, gen chem, orgo, labs, biochem, etc?

As I said, I have graduated and I only more recently decided to pursue specifically medicine. I have not taken the specific pre-req classes in 2-4 years and I feel like I never cultivated the relationships which would allow me to go back after all this time.

 

[Catalystik]

So it sounds like I just need the third letter unless there are specifics/technicalities?

After getting two science faculty, the usual and customary would be to have a nonscience letter [(+/-) from faculty who taught you] . Some schools might allow a substitution of the nonscience requirement by an employer LOR or somesuch. Some schools or premed committees might ask for other letters that are not academic.

 

[oregonian19]

After getting two science faculty, the usual and customary would be to have a nonscience letter [(+/-) from faculty who taught you] . Some schools might allow a substitution of the nonscience requirement by an employer LOR or somesuch. Some schools or premed committees might ask for other letters that are not academic.

I can think of a literature teacher I had for two classes. I got A’s in both of her classes, she’s very passionate and well respected, and I feel like I did well in her class. However, it has been almost a year since I have last spoken with her. Do you think that it is reasonable to meet with her and ask, or not?

 

[Catalystik]

I can think of a literature teacher I had for two classes. I got A’s in both of her classes, she’s very passionate and well respected, and I feel like I did well in her class. However, it has been almost a year since I have last spoken with her. Do you think that it is reasonable to meet with her and ask, or not?

Yes. You might bring a copy of papers you wrote or any other props that might help remind her of who you are (photo, grade reports, CV, PS) so she can personalize the LOR, keeping in mind that it is her personal observations of your critical thinking skills that are important for her to comment on.

You might bring along a copy of the AMCAS guidelines for LOR content to leave with her: Need to write a letter of recommendation: what makes a letter strong/stand out?

Ideally the meeting would be about half an hour long, so the prof can "get to know you" which results in a more personal touch to the letter if they agree to write it. Into the conversation perhaps insert reminders of contributions you made to class discussion, a cogent argument you'd made, or a mention of a project you did for the class, besides a reminder of your grade.

It's important to ask at the end, "Do you feel you could write me a strong letter of support for my med school application?" If they hem or haw in any way, or seem reluctant, or say it might take three months, then don't count on that letter being as glowing as you'd wish. Move on and ask someone else.

It's a very common problem in large schools with huge lecture halls that you don't get to know your professors personally. Why should professors go out of their way to help out someone they barely know? Because it reflects well on the reputation of the school to be able to report successful med school application statistics, which helps attract other strong candidates to the school.

 

[oregonian19]

Yes. You might bring a copy of papers you wrote or any other props that might help remind her of who you are (photo, grade reports, CV, PS) so she can personalize the LOR, keeping in mind that it is her personal observations of your critical thinking skills that are important for her to comment on.

You might bring along a copy of the AMCAS guidelines for LOR content to leave with her: Need to write a letter of recommendation: what makes a letter strong/stand out?

Ideally the meeting would be about half an hour long, so the prof can "get to know you" which results in a more personal touch to the letter if they agree to write it. Into the conversation perhaps insert reminders of contributions you made to class discussion, a cogent argument you'd made, or a mention of a project you did for the class, besides a reminder of your grade.

It's important to ask at the end, "Do you feel you could write me a strong letter of support for my med school application?" If they hem or haw in any way, or seem reluctant, or say it might take three months, then don't count on that letter being as glowing as you'd wish. Move on and ask someone else.

It's a very common problem in large schools with huge lecture halls that you don't get to know your professors personally. Why should professors go out of their way to help out someone they barely know? Because it reflects well on the reputation of the school to be able to report successful med school application statistics, which helps attract other strong candidates to the school.

Thank you for your advice! It is very encouraging.

I do appreciate your understanding of how difficult it is to get to know professors at large schools. Many say “just go to office hours,” but that’s still difficult because you often have to compete with 5-15 other people for the professor’s time and attention.

 

[Catalystik]

I do appreciate your understanding of how difficult it is to get to know professors at large schools. Many say “just go to office hours,” but that’s still difficult because you often have to compete with 5-15 other people for the professor’s time and attention.

I completely understand.