Which LORs should I use?

[boggvir]

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I have the following recommendations:

1. Chem & Physics professor (same person, title is lecturer, four courses, chemI, chem II, physI and phys II, plus all four labs)
2. Organic Chem Professor (full professor, 2 semesters)
3. Bio Professor (associate professor, had for three bio courses, Bio 1, phys, molecular bio, and two labs).
4. Boss at work (I know it's a fantastic LoR)
5. Volunteer LoR

All of them should be good. If I had to rank them in terms of quality, they would be Boss > Bio Professor > Other professors > Volunteer. The one I got from work is fantastic, so I really want to work that in (its a non-clinical work, but I'm a nontrad and I worked for my boss for five years full time). The other LoRs are also recent, from my post-bac work.

But I'm not sure which ones I should use for medical school? Do I need another one from a non-science faculty?

 

[silverhorse84]

I had 5 letters, so you can keep them all. The schools that said they only wanted 4, I just dropped the one from volunteer.

You asked about having a second non-science faculty, but do you have a first? Some schools want someone from humanities (I had one from a religious studies prof).

 

[AdmiralChz]

All of these are good - get them all and then send them out to medical schools according to what they request (some will take 5+ letters, others may only take 2). And that volunteer and boss letters are pretty crucial - just having academic LORs does not do much to differentiate yourself as an applicant (example: you're a good student, but most people applying to medical school are!), so you have yourself covered here!

I would hesitate on sending out 3 science letters to the same school, the classic advice is 2 science and 1 non-science LORs. So yes, you should probably search out a non-science faculty member.

 

[aznb0y129]

I have the following recommendations:

1. Chem & Physics professor (same person, title is lecturer, four courses, chemI, chem II, physI and phys II, plus all four labs)
2. Organic Chem Professor (full professor, 2 semesters)
3. Bio Professor (associate professor, had for three bio courses, Bio 1, phys, molecular bio, and two labs).
4. Boss at work (I know it's a fantastic LoR)
5. Volunteer LoR

All of them should be good. If I had to rank them in terms of quality, they would be Boss > Bio Professor > Other professors > Volunteer. The one I got from work is fantastic, so I really want to work that in (its a non-clinical work, but I'm a nontrad and I worked for my boss for five years full time). The other LoRs are also recent, from my post-bac work.

But I'm not sure which ones I should use for medical school? Do I need another one from a non-science faculty?

I used 6 LORs for my app, pretty much the same as your list. 3 science profs, 2 bosses (research PIs), and 1 volunteer coordinator. I think 5 should be fine for most schools.

 

[boggvir]

I had 5 letters, so you can keep them all. The schools that said they only wanted 4, I just dropped the one from volunteer.

You asked about having a second non-science faculty, but do you have a first? Some schools want someone from humanities (I had one from a religious studies prof).

No I don't have one. Should I seek one out? I don't think it would be the quality of the others most likely, as all the science professors I've had for multiple semesters and a minimum of two courses.

Also, my Chem and Phys teacher is not a professor, he is a lecturer (has a PhD though). But I've had him for four lectures and four labs. So I thought that might be a good one to give since he would know me the best, but if some schools only want two from science professors, would this be OK, leaving out, for example, a LOR from a full professor?

 

[AdmiralChz]

No I don't have one. Should I seek one out? I don't think it would be the quality of the others most likely, as all the science professors I've had for multiple semesters and a minimum of two courses.

Also, my Chem and Phys teacher is not a professor, he is a lecturer (has a PhD though). But I've had him for four lectures and four labs. So I thought that might be a good one to give since he would know me the best, but if some schools only want two from science professors, would this be OK, leaving out, for example, a LOR from a full professor?

I can't see that mattering much - he knows you well, so he will be able to write an informed LOR about you as an individual. That is what counts, not his title.