Urgh!

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cotinara

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So here is an interesting story about me asking for LOR. I went and asked my MOlEC/CELL prof. to write me a letter. THe only reason I asked her was b/c last semester i got a decent grade in her class, went to her office hours alot, and asked "good questions" (she said that). Also not to mention she was only 1 of 2 science profs I had taken. Anyway went to her asked her in a very cordial and professional manner to write me a LOR. She said ok but then she started saying well I write on how well you do in class, are you sure you want this, and then she started telling me not to feel bad when I don't get accepted and that if I truly wanted this i should reapply!! THe whole time she was saying she would write the damn thing then following it up with i don't think you will get in! AHHA 😡 and no matter how much i rant and rave and get pissed off, I still need her letter 🙁 .

So people, moral of the story...expect bs from profs when you ask for a letter and have the strength to stand against their bs and be prepared to explain yourself....I mean i seriously wasn't expecting that. 🙁
 
Getting professors or anyone for that matter to do anything for you is a pain in the butt. Your professor is right, however, about writing based on how you did in your class. You probably shouldn't be asking for a LOR from a professor who you didn't get an A in the class with. It's definitely not the only thing she should be writing about though and she'll probably write some other good things in there. She's pretty stupid for saying all that other pointless crap, but she may have just been trying to get you to change your mind so she wouldn't have to do anything for you. It could turn out better than you expect...I had a professor who hesitated and actually started to reject my request for a LOR, but changed his mind when he remembered that I had the highest grade in the class. I was expecting a poor LOR from him, but it "looked" like it turned out to be my best one (I didn't get to read any, but I did see my interviewer flip through them).

In the bigger scheme of things, LORs don't seem to be very important and mostly everyone has some crappy ones (unless they have professors that let the student write it him/herself 😡 ). Just try and get some good ones elsewhere.
 
I agree with the previous post saying that you should only as LORs from profs that you got A's in their classes. Most professors especially those that teach large classes with be reluctant to write you a LOR but they don't usually go off and tell you that you shouldn't feel bad if you have to reapply. Don't let your professor get to you. Personally, if I was in your situation I wouldn't ask an LOR from that professor. Her reaction was just inappropriate.

I've found that asking a prof who taught a small class that you were in will more likely remember you and this is the case especially when you did well in the class.
 
Some professors are just soo d-mn lazy...however...maybe its better she told you she's gonna write a bad letter...cause most professors don't tell you what they wrote so It's better then her sending a crappy one..so just go get one from someone who you got an A with and F that professor... lol...exuse the cursing.. :meanie:
 
I feel your pain. I had my orgo I prof agree to write me a letter, take my resume and interview me for the letter. Then he just never wrote it, or responded to me e-mails or phone calls. Totally not cool since he wrote it for everyone else who asked him. 😡 I got an A- in the class too.

If they don't write it, just find someone else. There's nothing you can because some teachers just don't do it no matter how many times you remind them. :meanie:
 
cotinara said:
So here is an interesting story about me asking for LOR. I went and asked my MOlEC/CELL prof. to write me a letter. THe only reason I asked her was b/c last semester i got a decent grade in her class, went to her office hours alot, and asked "good questions" (she said that). Also not to mention she was only 1 of 2 science profs I had taken. Anyway went to her asked her in a very cordial and professional manner to write me a LOR. She said ok but then she started saying well I write on how well you do in class, are you sure you want this, and then she started telling me not to feel bad when I don't get accepted and that if I truly wanted this i should reapply!! THe whole time she was saying she would write the damn thing then following it up with i don't think you will get in! AHHA 😡 and no matter how much i rant and rave and get pissed off, I still need her letter 🙁 .

So people, moral of the story...expect bs from profs when you ask for a letter and have the strength to stand against their bs and be prepared to explain yourself....I mean i seriously wasn't expecting that. 🙁

If that is the case, don't chance it with that professor and opt to ask a different professor. Chances are, the letter she will write may work against you.
 
thanks...here are some things i didn't tell you. It was a class of about 30, and got an AB in the class. I would ask someone else but she was the first science teacher I had since my fresh/sop year. I made peace with it, but it was pretty annoying when it happened.
 
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