Very confused about rec letters

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hqt331

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OK, so, at least one of the med schools I want to go to requires 2 letters from science professors and 1 from a non-science professor. Can you get a letter from someone who supervised you in research? What about if the research credit was S/U?

Secondly, what is a "science" professor? BCP? Does behavioral neuroscience fall under science or non-science? Are science-emphasized psychology classes like behavior analysis considered science?
 
Strictly speaking, science usually means the natural sciences: biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. Given that every pre-med takes at least eight semester long courses, it is assumed that one has had two different professors in these subject areas who can provide letters.


Social science is science but it might raise some eyebrows to have letters from professors of anthropology, economics, psychology,and sociology under the assumption that these are letters from science professors.

Many people submit letters from professors who have supervised the applicant's research activities.

Unless the "three letters" is a maximum permitted you can add the psychology professor and research supervisor in addition to the BCPM instructors and non-science professor (many applicants go to English professors for those letters, also foreign languages, music, & philosophy.
 
Yeah, a research letter will help you. I think mine did help me this cycle. So if you can get it, definitely do so.
 
would it be a drawback not to have a rec letter from my premed classes? for me, these classes were very large and i never really got to know my professors (unlike for some of my other classes)
 
would a LOR from a psych professor be considered a science letter?

So far I have 2: An English professor and a teacher of special needs kids who I volunteer for...
 
allinthecookies said:
would a LOR from a psych professor be considered a science letter?

So far I have 2: An English professor and a teacher of special needs kids who I volunteer for...
Click to expand...

I don't think that's a sci letter.
 
Is getting a letter from a prof in a "volunteering" class be an acceptable non-sci letter?
 
hqt331 said:
Is getting a letter from a prof in a "volunteering" class be an acceptable non-sci letter?
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Is this an actual class which has a requirement that you volunteer (I've seen this in sociology, etc)? It is a non-science letter but it negates the altruism demonstrated by the "volunteering" as it now seems like a class assignment rather than the goodness of your heart.
 
hqt331 said:
OK, so, at least one of the med schools I want to go to requires 2 letters from science professors and 1 from a non-science professor. Can you get a letter from someone who supervised you in research? What about if the research credit was S/U?

Secondly, what is a "science" professor? BCP? Does behavioral neuroscience fall under science or non-science? Are science-emphasized psychology classes like behavior analysis considered science?
Click to expand...

You will just about never go wrong with 2 sci / 1 non-sci, from professors in classes you took. After that, the research prof letter is just that - a research letter - and beware that many schools will not consider this as a substitute for the 2/1 letters above.

Also, some schools add the additional requirement that one of those prof letters be from a prof in your major...so again, to cover your bases, consider this when you obtain your LORs.

FWIW, I applied to 20+ schools, and I had 2 sci (from pre req classes) and 1 non-sci (from prof in my major in lib arts) along with a letter from my post bacc committee. This combination of 4 letters is all that most applicants need, and it was certainly all that I needed. Research the schools you are most interested in, though, because there are a few curve balls out there...
 
allinthecookies said:
would a LOR from a psych professor be considered a science letter?
Click to expand...

No, unless it is a neuroscience class, I suppose, but even then, I think you are on thin ice here.

Don't assume it is acceptable, though, because some schools are real sticklers for these letters and they will reject your app out of hand.
 
hqt331 said:
would it be a drawback not to have a rec letter from my premed classes? for me, these classes were very large and i never really got to know my professors (unlike for some of my other classes)
Click to expand...

No.
 
LizzyM said:
Is this an actual class which has a requirement that you volunteer (I've seen this in sociology, etc)? It is a non-science letter but it negates the altruism demonstrated by the "volunteering" as it now seems like a class assignment rather than the goodness of your heart.
Click to expand...

No, it's not like that really. The only reason I registered for the class is that it gave me an opportunity to volunteer for a unique service project. It is not related to my major, my degree requirements, it doesn't teach a subject (besides advice on completing the service), or anything of that sort. But it does obviously require that I volunteer.
 
hqt331 said:
No, it's not like that really. The only reason I registered for the class is that it gave me an opportunity to volunteer for a unique service project. It is not related to my major, my degree requirements, it doesn't teach a subject (besides advice on completing the service), or anything of that sort. But it does obviously require that I volunteer.
Click to expand...

Given the circumstances, it might be worth adding this letter in addition to the 2 science/1 non-science. For your non-science letter consider English, foreign language, history, philosophy, sociology, theology/religious studies, art history, music. If you haven't had at least one course in one of those ares, you should take one course. These courses often include considerable class discussion and /or written essays. This gives the faculty member something to write about that generally isn't a component of the science letters.
 
wait...im still confused...so i cant you my "science" letter of rec from a professor i did research with and got research units (pass/no pass), even though i never took a real class with him?
 
My biggest issue was getting a non-science UG letter. I haven't taken a humanities class since 05. I called one school and got to substitute a work letter, but I had to withdraw from another school with this req't.
 
lovedocta07 said:
wait...im still confused...so i cant you my "science" letter of rec from a professor i did research with and got research units (pass/no pass), even though i never took a real class with him?
Click to expand...

I'm figuring you meant to say "I can't use" . I don't have a problem with one of the science letters being from a faculty member with whom you did research units. Frankly, I'd even be happy with a letter from someone at another institution with whom you did summer research. However, I'm not the final say. Check with the specific medical schools' admissions offices if you have any doubts
 
So economics is generally considered science? This is just getting more confusing 😀. The trouble with contacting the admissions departments is that I'm not sure yet all of the schools I'm applying to...guess I should have decided this earlier.
 
hqt331 said:
So economics is generally considered science? This is just getting more confusing 😀. The trouble with contacting the admissions departments is that I'm not sure yet all of the schools I'm applying to...guess I should have decided this earlier.
Click to expand...

Economics is sometimes called "the dismal science". It is generally considered a social science, not a natural science.
 
LizzyM said:
Economics is sometimes called "the dismal science". It is generally considered a social science, not a natural science.
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Actually, I do know this. I meant: is it considered a "science", for rec letter purposes, by med school admissions departments?
 
LizzyM said:
Science letters usually refer to chem, bio, physics, math. Everyone has had at least 9 or 10 classes in these subjects to there should be two professors who can write on your behalf.
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Sorry, looks like we've been talking at cross purposes here. Would it be safe to assume that I could use a letter from an economics professor as a NON-science letter?
 
LizzyM said:
:highfive:

By jove, I think you've got it!
Click to expand...

Just making sure. Some of your earlier posts implied (or stated) that economics would be considered a "science" (in whichever sense of the word), and I was wondering whether this meant it could not be used as a non-sci letter. If you would be kind enough to answer one last question: would a class with the phrase "physiological psychology" in its title be considered a science class?
 
hqt331 said:
Just making sure. Some of your earlier posts implied (or stated) that economics would be considered a "science" (in whichever sense of the word), and I was wondering whether this meant it could not be used as a non-sci letter. If you would be kind enough to answer one last question: would a class with the phrase "physiological psychology" in its title be considered a science class?
Click to expand...

😕

Economics is a social science. Schools that want 2 science letters,/ 1 non-science letter usually expect 2 letters from professors in the natural sciences, and 1 letter from someone not in the natural sciences.

Physiological psychology might be offered in the Dept of Psychology (aka not a natural science) or it could be out of Biology/physiology which would be a natural science.

Long story short: get two letters from professors who have taught you in classes in the natural scineces. get one letter from a professor who taught you in a non-science class (gravatate toward a class that had a lot of written assignments and/or class discussion). If you have any one else who you expect to write a strong letter throw them in for good measure.
 
Similar questions about what's considered science/non-science for the following classes:
1) a class on human nutrition/physiology of nutritional diseases listed in Nutritional Sciences & Toxicology department
2) a class on teaching science to students listed in the Geography department
3) a class on toxicology or microbiology listed in the Public Health department

Also, is a non-science letter from a "Lecturer" (not tenured professor) but teaching courses and has a PhD and taught for many years at university-level?

Thanks!
 
What about a Public Health class focusing on demographics and underserved populations that contains a fieldwork component?
 
flip26 said:
You will just about never go wrong with 2 sci / 1 non-sci, from professors in classes you took. After that, the research prof letter is just that - a research letter - and beware that many schools will not consider this as a substitute for the 2/1 letters above.

Also, some schools add the additional requirement that one of those prof letters be from a prof in your major...so again, to cover your bases, consider this when you obtain your LORs.

FWIW, I applied to 20+ schools, and I had 2 sci (from pre req classes) and 1 non-sci (from prof in my major in lib arts) along with a letter from my post bacc committee. This combination of 4 letters is all that most applicants need, and it was certainly all that I needed. Research the schools you are most interested in, though, because there are a few curve balls out there...
Click to expand...

Right here. +any research and you'll be good just about anywhere in terms of LORs.
 
So I have my own questions regarding letters of rec...

I'm a psychology major and work in a psychology lab. If I were to get course credit for research in my lab over a semester (which would count toward my major), could I get the PI in my lab to write me a LOR that would count toward a LOR from my major?

Also, could I get my trombone prof to write my non-science LOR? At my school it counts as a music class, and I get about 1-2 credit hours per semester from trombone lessons (depending on the semester; a normal course at my school is about 3 credit hours).
 
munchyman- I would think the public health class would be okay for non-science.
phonyreal- the trombone one should be fine for non-science as well. I've heard mixed things about getting letters from PIs whether you have or have not taken a class they taught. Some schools accept it as one of 2/1 letters (in your case, non-science), others do not.

A lot of my science classes are co-taught by a team of 2-3 professors. Is it okay to get 2 science letters from 2 professors that taught you one course?
 
would a letter from my history of biology prof count as humanities? It counts as a history course.
 
Speaking of letters of rec....
When do you as a prof to write you a letter? Do you ask right after you finish the class or when you are approaching the deadline?
 
Keep in mind too, what the requirements are for your pre-med advisor or committee are too. You don't want to be stuck at the gates when the race begins because your committee evaluation is held up. That is if you're going that route.

Just pointing this out since some schools' websites I've looked at ask for an advisor/committee evaluation OR the type of LORs listed above. Of course you'd be submitting the same letters for your committee, e.g. 2 sci, 1 non-sci, 1 employer/researcher/volunteer coordinator/etc like mine asks for.

If you're a grad student, nearly every school I've looked as asks for a LOR from your PI or an evaluation from your dean/program advisor.
 
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