"Write your own LOR"

[FlowRate]

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I normally go by one (nickname) name but legally and AMCAS-ly I also go by my birth name (simply a longer version of the name I go by.) I am having a professor who calls me by my "nickname" write me an LOR (all my professors do this btw). Should I instruct him to use my "legal" name, or is my "nickname" fine? I have looked through AMCAS and I believe there is a section for other names that I use, so should it be okay either way?

 

[dingyibvs]

A lot of people do it, I'd just write my own.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Why would you go generic? Make it the best letter you can possibly write. You've been given a huge opportunity to make yourself look awesome, so don't flub it. Get that letter edited a bajillion times, and get all sorts of feedback about what to put in it.

 

[FlowRate]

Why would you go generic? Make it the best letter you can possibly write. You've been given a huge opportunity to make yourself look awesome, so don't flub it. Get that letter edited a bajillion times, and get all sorts of feedback about what to put in it.

I meant generic like give main points and allow him to fill them in.

Thanks for the advice; I guess I will just write a straight-up LOR. How long should it be? about a page? This was my statics teacher, so should I give a quick description of his qualifications and what statics is? I want this to count for one of my two science letters. I've talked with him a good number of times extracurricularly so I wanted to hit on:

(Apparent) passion for medicine
Mastery of the material (physics/engineering)
Knowledge of lots of different stuff
Well spoken (presentations, participating in class, etc.)

Thoughts? =)

 

[randombetch]

Hey guys,

I was talking to a professor who I thought was going to write me an excellent LOR. Anyway, he pretty much told me to tell him what I want him to say on the LOR. Literally "write me a cover letter with what you want me to say." How do ya'll think I should handle this? Would it be better to be generic or to almost write my own LOR straight-out?

Thanks!


(no, I'm not applying this cycle, so I'm not "late")

A cover letter with what you want him to say is not even close to writing your own letter of recommendation.

Several recommenders have asked me to write a cover letter, so I wrote one addressed to them and talked about myself in the first person.

One teacher asked me to write a letter of rec for myself as a guide, and the teacher ended up writing a completely different (but still very good) recommendation for me.

 

[280224]

One of my problems during the process was not appearing as though I could handle the emotional stress of being a doctor. I'm small, petite girl who's soft spoken with a high pitched voice so that's probably the reason why. I guess to many people I seemed like the type of person to faint at the sight of blood, which isn't true. I had my boss write me a recommendation letter and she basically asked me what I wanted in it, so I asked her to include something about how tough I am and how I can handle plenty of stress.

I would use this opportunity to highlight any strengths of yours that you think may be lost during the process to the adcoms.

 

[FlowRate]

A cover letter with what you want him to say is not even close to writing your own letter of recommendation.

Several recommenders have asked me to write a cover letter, so I wrote one addressed to them and talked about myself in the first person.

One teacher asked me to write a letter of rec for myself as a guide, and the teacher ended up writing a completely different (but still very good) recommendation for me.

Did they ask you to write a cover letter "with what you want me [the lor writer] to say [about you]"?

 

[wanderer]

Did they ask you to write a cover letter "with what you want me [the lor writer] to say [about you]"?

Usually when the prof. wants you to write it for him, he'll say, "write a 'draft' of what the letter should look like." In your case, it sounds like the prof. doesn't want you to exactly do that, but to write a letter in your own voice (in the first person) of all your qualifications.

 

[BerlinDude]

I meant generic like give main points and allow him to fill them in.

BIG mistake. I once tried that with one professor and just gave him an outline. All he did was print out the outline and signed it.

You have an opportunity here, so write the best possible letter you can. If he thinks it is over-the-top, he can always cut back on it.

 

[randombetch]

Did they ask you to write a cover letter "with what you want me [the lor writer] to say [about you]"?

Yes.

 

[Pedie Packs]

Get it edited like a million times with your prof's input. I feel like an ad-com can pick this sort of thing out... just my opinion.... so make it sound as much as possible like he actually wrote it. Be proactive with your prof... you go 90%, but make sure he goes his 10% and you should be golden.

 

[FlowRate]

SEE op... I have a new question. THANKS!