unsure if my professors know me well enough to write me letters

[doubledoctordoubletrouble]

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My research advisors hands down will write me very strong letters but I'm a bit worried about getting letters from my professors. I'm a good student, but I'm pretty shy and quiet so I don't participate in class. Here are the best options I have. The semester is pretty much over, but if anyone has any ideas on how I can get to know these professors better in the future, or if you think it would be okay to ask them for letters, let me know...

1) I took a seminar class this semester where the class size was about 15 students, so the professor knows everyone by name. I did really well on the assignments in the class (2 major scientific oral presentations) and got good feedback from the professor. But other than that, I've never talked with him one on one. The professor is nice, but he seems a bit... distant? Not exactly warm and charismatic, and I don't know how that would translate into his letter writing.

2) A larger upper division class with about 40 students. Professor definitely recognizes my face (he'll say hi to me outside of class) but he might not know my name. I'm doing pretty well grade-wise (1 standard deviation above the mean). I have been to his office hours three times over the course of the semester where it was just him and I talking about the material... but to be honest... I get the feeling he thinks I'm stupid because the material is quite hard for me to grasp and I end up asking pretty basic questions (luckily I then ended up doing well on the midterms).

Do you all think these are good candidates for letters? Am I being paranoid? Or should I try harder to get to know my new professors next semester? Is it too risky to ask for letters from professors in the semester right before you apply?

Ah so many questions, but I am worried!

 

[Goro]

You're going to have to grow a spine and walk up to them and say "Dr ___, do you know me well enough to write me a good LOR for my medical school application?"

 

[johnnytest]

Or you could ask "Do you feel comfortable writing me a strong letter of support for my medical school candidacy?"

 

[mimelim]

Optimally: Try to take another class with one of those two professors next semester and then ask during the semester.

Understandably, this may not be possible. As they stand right now, they are equivalent, weak letters. Not bad, but weak as in they won't help you. Partial semester exposure to a student in the classroom isn't a great foundation. Your best bet is what @Goro says, talk to both of them and ask them politely, but directly if they feel comfortable writing a LOR for you.

 

[maccu5000]

That's pretty normal at lots of institutions. Go ahead an ask. Be prepared with some information about yourself (resume, draft personal statement if you have one, and a few sentences about why you're asking for their recommendation). It can be stressful to ask, but the worst they'll say is "no". be sure to word your request that they know it must be positive, eg. "would you be willing to write me a positive letter of recommendation for medical school"

 

[doubledoctordoubletrouble]

Optimally: Try to take another class with one of those two professors next semester and then ask during the semester.

Understandably, this may not be possible. As they stand right now, they are equivalent, weak letters. Not bad, but weak as in they won't help you. Partial semester exposure to a student in the classroom isn't a great foundation. Your best bet is what @Goro says, talk to both of them and ask them politely, but directly if they feel comfortable writing a LOR for you.

What about asking going all in next semester and trying to get to know my professors? It will be my last semester in college, so not sure if that's cutting it too close...

 

[maccu5000]

That's a good plan too. can't hurt to get to know them.

 

[deleted407021]

I'm concerned about this as well. I'll need a science letter for my committee composite LOR but this semester's biochem is my last science class. I'll be applying in 2016 and my composite letter would be written that spring. I would want to get the letter at the end of the semester while the professor still knows who I am, but how long are these letters generally "good" for?

Also, , sorry...

 

[doubledoctordoubletrouble]

I'm concerned about this as well. I'll need a science letter for my committee composite LOR but this semester's biochem is my last science class. I'll be applying in 2016 and my composite letter would be written that spring. I would want to get the letter at the end of the semester while the professor still knows who I am, but how long are these letters generally "good" for?

Also, , sorry...

haha. I think that's totally fine if you ask now... only a semester will have passed in between him writing the letter and you submitting the application, which is basically nothing.

 

[doubledoctordoubletrouble]

Optimally: Try to take another class with one of those two professors next semester and then ask during the semester.

Understandably, this may not be possible. As they stand right now, they are equivalent, weak letters. Not bad, but weak as in they won't help you. Partial semester exposure to a student in the classroom isn't a great foundation. Your best bet is what @Goro says, talk to both of them and ask them politely, but directly if they feel comfortable writing a LOR for you.

Would it be weird if I tried to get to know them better in the beginning of next semester? Not sure exactly how I could do that... but maybe it would give them more context and chance to get to know me better... urgh

 

[deleted407021]

haha. I think that's totally fine if you ask now... only a semester will have passed in between him writing the letter and you submitting the application, which is basically nothing.

Actually 3 semesters lol! I'd get the letter basically now, then spring, followed by fall(graduating) followed by spring and committee letter, then application.

Also, for those in the know (specifically @Goro b/c DO schools) if a school requires a physician and or science letter and I already have them attached to my committee composite letter, do I need to resend those letters separately? Thanks!

 

[RedPhys]

I think you should be able to really think for yourself in coming to an assessment of whether a professor is good enough for writing a letter. As others have said in countless threads, ask yourself if the professor knows who you are beyond just another student taking the course, if they know your aspirations, your drives, who you are as a person, your background, what's gotten you where you are at this point if your life, why you want to study medicine, etc .. and if they could put put together those points in a letter.

My two letters came from 1. PI who I did research with for three years, and 2. Japanese professor who I knew for three years (took courses taught by her and was in a club partly run by her)

 

[doubledoctordoubletrouble]

So actually I do have a third option. He is my academic advisor and the nominal professor for one of my courses, meaning it was a course completely run by the TAs and he was just listed as being head of the course. I'm not sure if that would count as an academic letter? He would have a lot to say about me personally since we have a good relationship, but he probably couldn't say much about my performance in the course other than the fact that I got an A. Thoughts?

 

[Heplayer92]

Even with 40 people in your class, at least your professors would recognize your face. At my school we had some courses with 200+ people. Many professors write LoRs for students that they don't know very well because...well, pre-med kids need science LoRs, and most of us only have chemistry/biology/physics to choose from.

I just asked if I could meet with them to provide them with any info they may need. Some sat down with me and we chatted for an hour or so while they took notes about me. Others just asked for my resume and a draft of my personal statement. As long an experience science professor accepts, you'll most likely be fine. Just ask them well in advance...mine were prepared around 6 months before AMCAS opened. Good luck!

 

[doubledoctordoubletrouble]

Even with 40 people in your class, at least your professors would recognize your face. At my school we had some courses with 200+ people. Many professors write LoRs for students that they don't know very well because...well, pre-med kids need science LoRs, and most of us only have chemistry/biology/physics to choose from.

I just asked if I could meet with them to provide them with any info they may need. Some sat down with me and we chatted for an hour or so while they took notes about me. Others just asked for my resume and a draft of my personal statement. As long an experience science professor accepts, you'll most likely be fine. Just ask them well in advance...mine were prepared around 6 months before AMCAS opened. Good luck!

Thanks for the reassurance. I mean, even though I'm not buddy-buddy with any of my professors, they do at the very least have a somewhat of a good impression with me. Did the professors you ask know you by name before you asked? How receptive were they to helping you out?

 

[cjfarrell21]

Would it be weird if I tried to get to know them better in the beginning of next semester? Not sure exactly how I could do that... but maybe it would give them more context and chance to get to know me better... urgh

For the professors I received letters from, I went to the first office hour of the quarter--before any material was really introduced--and talked to them about the class and got to know them personally. Being in a class with 300+ students I felt it was the best way to get the professor to notice my face and recognize me. Throughout the quarter I would continue going to office hours weekly to ensure they would know my face and then after doing well I asked them and they were both very willing. That was 6 months ago, and I recently wrote them holiday letters, hand delivered them, and each of them still remembered my face. So I say go out of your comfort shell a little bit, introduce yourself early and be persistent 🙂 good luck!

 

[Heplayer92]

Thanks for the reassurance. I mean, even though I'm not buddy-buddy with any of my professors, they do at the very least have a somewhat of a good impression with me. Did the professors you ask know you by name before you asked? How receptive were they to helping you out?

Of course! I know it can be daunting to ask professors for a HUGE favor such as writing an LoR. I think that is more than enough. Name-wise, I didn't find it too important. I always started out with "Hi my name is Heplayer92" blah blah blah, so I'm not sure if they knew my name. I think professors (especially the ones who have been teaching for a while) will be pretty honest with you. I had one professor who I asked for an LoR in which I got a B in her class, and she straight up told me that she thinks I'd get a better LoR from a professor who's course I did better in lol. I was like, wow, thanks for the honesty. As long as they say "yes", you'll be OK. Just be flexible with your time/deadlines and start early! I received all my LoRs within 3 months of asking them.

 

[Lysinee]

If you don't know the professor well enough then he probably doesn't know you well enough.