Who here dislikes the letter of rec deal?

[CHAINCHOMPER]

I was talking to a buddy and he says that he needs to brown-nose 3 professors to get letters of recommendation. I've recently learned that it's a requirement for medical schools to be recommended by your teachers. I always thought that was optional for people with bad grades so that the teachers can write them a good letter so they can play the "this person tries really hard" card.


What sucks about it is that the professors HAVE to know you personally!!!!
Only the failing people and suck-ups actually talk to a professor on a human basis. Normally, I laugh at their faces(the two or three times I actually see them), and spit on their profession. So it's ironic that I now have to pretend to like these random teachers. So i e-mail them demanding to give me a letter. They reply by saying that it would take 3-4 weeks to write! Also, one of them said that she wants me to meet up with her to get a feeling of what to write about.

2 things:
1) How the hell does it take someone 3-4 weeks to write a letter. It took them a day to reply to my e-mail, they are obviously BSing
2) Is my professor trying to hit on me by inviting me over to her office


....ok so that ends my rant

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[Piyush]

reply to 1:
assume they are busy

reply to 2:
asking for a meeting is normal, think nothing about it

 

[brianmartin]

With that attitude you'll never make it lol.

 

[135892]

I was talking to a buddy and he says that he needs to brown-nose 3 professors to get letters of recommendation. I've recently learned that it's a requirement for medical schools to be recommended by your teachers. I always thought that was optional for people with bad grades so that the teachers can write them a good letter so they can play the "this person tries really hard" card.


What sucks about it is that the professors HAVE to know you personally!!!!
Only the failing people and suck-ups actually talk to a professor on a human basis. Normally, I laugh at their faces(the two or three times I actually see them), and spit on their profession. So it's ironic that I now have to pretend to like these random teachers. So i e-mail them demanding to give me a letter. They reply by saying that it would take 3-4 weeks to write! Also, one of them said that she wants me to meet up with her to get a feeling of what to write about.

2 things:
1) How the hell does it take someone 3-4 weeks to write a letter. It took them a day to reply to my e-mail, they are obviously BSing
2) Is my professor trying to hit on me by inviting me over to her office


....ok so that ends my rant

Seriously, I can't stand those lowlife, good for nothing professors. And people actually expect me to interact with these pathetic excuses for human beings??

 

[coralfangs]

just because you fail at interacting properly with your professors, it doesn't mean everyone with good recs brownnosed.
grow up
if you can't think of anything good to talk about or interesting to ask the rof, I don't think "getting to know" the professors should be your #1 concern. you should be asking yourself WHY you are taking that course if you don't find the material worthy for your attention.

I was talking to a buddy and he says that he needs to brown-nose 3 professors to get letters of recommendation. I've recently learned that it's a requirement for medical schools to be recommended by your teachers. I always thought that was optional for people with bad grades so that the teachers can write them a good letter so they can play the "this person tries really hard" card.


What sucks about it is that the professors HAVE to know you personally!!!!
Only the failing people and suck-ups actually talk to a professor on a human basis. Normally, I laugh at their faces(the two or three times I actually see them), and spit on their profession. So it's ironic that I now have to pretend to like these random teachers. So i e-mail them demanding to give me a letter. They reply by saying that it would take 3-4 weeks to write! Also, one of them said that she wants me to meet up with her to get a feeling of what to write about.

2 things:
1) How the hell does it take someone 3-4 weeks to write a letter. It took them a day to reply to my e-mail, they are obviously BSing
2) Is my professor trying to hit on me by inviting me over to her office


....ok so that ends my rant

 

[CHAINCHOMPER]

coralfangs, I don't understand your last sentence. How can you choose classes based on your personal interest?


I took classes because they were required. Choosing classes is sorta like a game: You ask around to see which professors are ridiculously easy, which ones are friends taking so you have company if there are classes w/ mandatory attendance. I never once thought about the fact that they I needed to use a professor, i always looked at school as the teacher administers the exams, and we work hard to get our A's and B's. It's sorta like an exchange, I pay the teacher, and they give me the grades I need to move on with my life.

 

[Dr_Dan_the_man]

agreed. Grow up buddy.

i'm not sure that medicine is the right path for you...

 

[BlackSails]

Go back to your bridge.

 

[TexanGirl]

For your sake, I hope you're trolling.

 

[Jolie South]

welcome to the professional world. "sucking up to" and "dealing with" people that you don't like are quite common. there aren't many professions where you can be disrespectful of colleagues and expect them to help you succeed.

 

[dd128]

I think you need to realize most professor go into academia for at least partially altruistic purposes. Most professors aren't exactly raking in the dough, and could probably be making more money in industry somewhere else. Most know that giving recommendations comes with the territory and will want to help you out, though a bad attitude may give them pause.

 

[scowdeva]

I kinda agree, in that I think it's kind of dumb to require the LOR to come from professors. I think it would be more beneficial to require them from 3 people who can attest to your personal fitness for becoming a physician.

One school that I think has it right is MSUCOM. They require two people to write out answers to specific questions about you. They ask that these people not be someone who you think will impress (ie not docs or professors or famous names), rather they want someone who has known you for years and can really talk about you.

 

[Gpan]

I kinda agree, in that I think it's kind of dumb to require the LOR to come from professors. I think it would be more beneficial to require them from 3 people who can attest to your personal fitness for becoming a physician.

One school that I think has it right is MSUCOM. They require two people to write out answers to specific questions about you. They ask that these people not be someone who you think will impress (ie not docs or professors or famous names), rather they want someone who has known you for years and can really talk about you.

according to you, a bunch of premed kids would have letter from their pops, moms and grandpas, grandmas, sisters, brothers...

but I agree to the OP that LOR is such a butt kissing business, and to some people it means that literately
But again, to the OP. Shame on you man. Instead of feeling for each others, banding together with empathy, you hate on them people? laugh at them? NOW it serve you right that you ARE ONE OF THEM.

 

[Terpskins99]

2 things:
1) How the hell does it take someone 3-4 weeks to write a letter. It took them a day to reply to my e-mail, they are obviously BSing
2) Is my professor trying to hit on me by inviting me over to her office


....ok so that ends my rant

This is one bizarre thread. I can kind of understand being anxious at asking for letters (its uncomfortable for anyone to do, especially if you're never done so before). But I'm pretty sure just about every college professor has written a couple rec letters. They understand the game. Anyhow...

1) Actually, I do get annoyed with how long professors take to write letters. But I also try to keep in mind that they're busy people, and that volunteering a letter is sort of a gift. Also, its a lot easier to send an email than it is to write a formal letter of recommendation. Unless you want a lousy one that paints you in a worse light than you did before the letter was written.

2) I don't see why you're so taken aback by this. Meeting up in an office to discuss a rec letter is the norm. Weird would be her asking you to dinner.

 

[CHAINCHOMPER]

I think you guys are misunderstanding me. When I said I was laughing at "them", I meant the actual professors, not the students. I understand the pain us students must endure in order to make it in school. However, it's comical to make fun of professors, especially when your in the back and they cannot hear the snickering going on in the entire lecture.

 

[scowdeva]

according to you, a bunch of premed kids would have letter from their pops, moms and grandpas, grandmas, sisters, brothers...

but I agree to the OP that LOR is such a butt kissing business, and to some people it means that literately
But again, to the OP. Shame on you man. Instead of feeling for each others, banding together with empathy, you hate on them people? laugh at them? NOW it serve you right that you ARE ONE OF THEM.

Um, no, not according to me. Everyone knows the rules. Family members aren't allowed to submit letters, and they have to sign off on that when they send them in (I'm specifically referring to the form they have to sign for MSU, but I'm sure in the fine print all schools say this). You can send in additional letters to most schools, and I doubt people send in letters from their daddy the way it's set up now. It's geared towards friends of the family, pastors, managers at jobs that you've worked at for a significant number of years, volunteer coordinators that you've worked under for more than a semester. Someone who actually knows you. I went to an undergrad with 40,000 kids. How well do you think the profs get to know any one of them?

Also, to clarify my original post- I only agree with the point that letters from 3 profs is stupid. I don't agree with anything else the OP really was talking about. To be honest, I got kind of bored so started skimming and missed a lot of the specifics.

 

[scowdeva]

I think you guys are misunderstanding me. When I said I was laughing at "them", I meant the actual professors, not the students. I understand the pain us students must endure in order to make it in school. However, it's comical to make fun of professors, especially when your in the back and they cannot hear the snickering going on in the entire lecture.

Why do you go to class if you don't like the prof? I know I wouldn't waste my time sitting through a class just to make fun of someone...I would much rather sleep in and then just read that chapter in the book.

 

[smeagol]

You should feel comfortable asking SOME professors/supervisors for letters. These are people you probably worked for, did research for, or TA'd a course for. Your relationships with these people are probably a secondary product of some alternative goal you had.

However, I definitely feel lame asking professors for letters where all I did was meet them in office hours. And I'll be honest; the only reason I went to their office was for some future goal of soliciting a recommendation. Even still, they really don't know me that well, and I'm not sure how they were supposed to. I'm not going to ask a professor to have lunch with me or anything. I mean sure, I went to their office sometimes and asked for help, but this hardly provides what is necessary for a great recommendation.

And whats worse is that schools are surprised at people who ask professors they barely know for recommendations. They're like, "I have no idea why Jimmy would ask Professor X for a recommendation! Professor X barely knew him."

Anyways, to answer 2, meeting someone in person is perfectly normal as others have noted. A recommendation is a pretty big deal, it's something you want to see them in person about, imo.

 

[coralfangs]

errrrrrr
clearly you can't ask a professor who taught you intro bio class
and most programs allow flexibility in upper years, that's when you get to choose

i guess you take courses simply because want to pad your precious gpa
seriously, this is the problem with most premed these days
obviously if you take courses because you want to learn, you would then have much more interaction with your profs, it's never brown-nosing to talk to them if the you are truly interested in the subjects
just because YOU are not interested, that doesn't mean others can't be sincere
hey, i still keep in touch with my senior PI (who wrote my LOI last year) on regular basis because she always ALWAYS updates me with all her theories and findings

imo, it's a damn shame that you can't interact professionally and intellectually with professors
my point is that if you truly think that it's a hassle to have meaningful talks with professors, you are probably studying the wrong subject or you might even be in the wrong field

 

[LucidSplash]

People please. Do NOT feed the troll.

 

[scowdeva]

Yeah, I attempted to add something worthwhile to the conversation, but there is no way the OP is serious. Too few posts, too obvious of an attempt...

LucidSplash, I loooove your signature! That was the best version of Cinderella ever! My favorite was the 'in my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be what-ever I want to beeeeeee'!

 

[Perrotfish]

You need three

The liberal arts prof should be easy. You were supposed to be talking and sounding intelligent in class anyway. If the prof can't write you a good letter you were a bad student.

Most people I know worked in a lab for someone who taught one of their sciences classes, if only part time for one semester. That gets you a second letter

Letter number three? Probably going to be generic unless you find time to work in a second lab. But one generic letter is probably fine. Go to his/her office hours so the prof at least knows your name.

 

[GoldShadow]

Go back to your bridge.

I like this! It's subtle yet succinct.

 

[Terpskins99]

I think you guys are misunderstanding me. When I said I was laughing at "them", I meant the actual professors, not the students. I understand the pain us students must endure in order to make it in school. However, it's comical to make fun of professors, especially when your in the back and they cannot hear the snickering going on in the entire lecture.

Just a bit of warning. Assuming you reach the next step, you might want to have a change of heart with regard to how you act around professors. Med school administrators don't look kindly upon students that act like jerks. Most programs incorporate some sort of professionalism policy, and are enforced with a very short leash. In my class, we had one student expelled for insubordinate behavior directed towards the faculty.

 

[littlealex]

With that attitude you'll never make it lol.

EXACTLY! What a little jerk! I would absolutely hate to goto med school with someone like the OP.

How are they supposed to recommend you without knowing who you are?
Kiddo, better adjust your attitude, and do it fast. ONE bad letter of recommendation can completely kill your chances of being admitted to medical school, and since you won't know WHICH letter was bad, you'd have to get a whole new set of letters.

Also most professors are pretty cool people with interesting lives. I've gotten to know many of my professors through the years, not because I want their letters, but because I think ONE good mentor is all it takes to change your life and your career.

Read up on your professors and what they're interested in. I'd be very surprised if you don't find ANY of them interesting. Read up on their research and see why they're studying that particular subject. Goto the office hours if the material truly interests you.

I have coffee with my professors and get invited to their homes for Thanksgiving (I've had very small classes of 5-10 people). I think it is BECAUSE of their strong recommendations that I was accepted to medical school despite my many shortcomings. Many of these professors and their advices had changed my life and helped mold my interests. I still keep in touch with them today despite having their recommendations already.

 

[87138]

Wow. Are you guys (with very few exceptions) seriously this horrible at spotting a troll? This one isn't even subtle!

Lucid, I may now have to decide 100% on Maryland, based solely on the fact that I know there's at least one person with common sense there . . .

 

[135892]

Wow. Are you guys (with very few exceptions) seriously this horrible at spotting a troll? This one isn't even very subtle!

Lucid, I may now have to decide 100% on Maryland, based solely on the fact that I know there's at least one person with common sense there . . .

He is not a troll! I happen to sympathize with the OP's sentiments very much

 

[ryandote]

.

 

[87138]

He is not a troll! I happen to sympathize with the OP's sentiments very much

I hope you're kidding. And if you're not, please don't come to my medical school.

 

[emttim]

I was talking to a buddy and he says that he needs to brown-nose 3 professors to get letters of recommendation. I've recently learned that it's a requirement for medical schools to be recommended by your teachers. I always thought that was optional for people with bad grades so that the teachers can write them a good letter so they can play the "this person tries really hard" card.


What sucks about it is that the professors HAVE to know you personally!!!!
Only the failing people and suck-ups actually talk to a professor on a human basis. Normally, I laugh at their faces(the two or three times I actually see them), and spit on their profession. So it's ironic that I now have to pretend to like these random teachers. So i e-mail them demanding to give me a letter. They reply by saying that it would take 3-4 weeks to write! Also, one of them said that she wants me to meet up with her to get a feeling of what to write about.

2 things:
1) How the hell does it take someone 3-4 weeks to write a letter. It took them a day to reply to my e-mail, they are obviously BSing
2) Is my professor trying to hit on me by inviting me over to her office


....ok so that ends my rant

Thanks for reminding me why I hate pre-meds.

 

[135892]

I hope you're kidding. And if you're not, please don't come to my medical school.

, of course, the OP is obviously a fool

 

[87138]

, of course, the OP is obviously a fool

Sorry, can't always tell on here. You're more than welcome to attend whichever school I finally decide on.

 

[CHAINCHOMPER]

Wow i sure am lucky today. When I met the lady who is writing my letter, she said she has no problem writing rec letters for pre-meds. She said that in her class she knows most pre-meds need that A to get into school, so she is very lenient in giving people high grades(luckilly I also made an A in her class, even though i forgot what class it was at first )

After talking with her for 5 mins, she said that she will take good care of me and help me sell myself. I'm happy one letter is out of the way! Maybe the letter of rec deal isn't so bad after all. Maybe the other two people would be nice too(hopefully)

 

[drlisa0318]

Yeah, I attempted to add something worthwhile to the conversation, but there is no way the OP is serious. Too few posts, too obvious of an attempt...

LucidSplash, I loooove your signature! That was the best version of Cinderella ever! My favorite was the 'in my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be what-ever I want to beeeeeee'!

Ohhhhhh, I LOVE that version of Cinderella! Leslie Ann Warren, Stuart Damon, Celeste Holm as the Fairy Godmother, Walter Pidgeon and Ginger Rogers as the King and Queen, and the always hysterical Pat Carroll as one of the ugly stepsisters, Prunella. Now, who else besides me saw it the FIRST time it aired in 1965? LOL!!

 

[CHAINCHOMPER]

bump for more agreerers

 

[J1515]

However, it's comical to make fun of professors, especially when your in the back and they cannot hear the snickering going on in the entire lecture.

Assuming you are serious:
Dude, how old are you? We did that in 8th grade. Do you still laugh at the words "penis" and "vagina" as well?

 

[Rikkye]

OMG, what are you? three? I hope you are being sarcastic. Otherwise, I hope I don't end up being your classmate.

 

[CHAINCHOMPER]

Assuming you are serious:
Dude, how old are you? We did that in 8th grade. Do you still laugh at the words "penis" and "vagina" as well?

Of course . One time I bursted out loud laughing on a test when there was a question on the different parts of a penis. I was like "you gotta be kidding me!". I was also howling like a wolf in a review session when we went over the process of how a woman becomes pregnant.