(Yet Another) Science Prof LOR Question

[FancyZach]

Okay I know this question gets asked a lot but I'm having an argument with my friend right now and a lot of school websites are pretty nebulous.

So I have been out of undergrad for 2 years, which makes me kind of non-trad? I am currently in a science heavy MSPH program and a lot of my classes are half med students and half public health students. I am planning on getting my LORs from these graduate profs because 1. I have been out of undergrad for a while now and 2. I didn't really know what I wanted to do in undergrad, my focus and plans changed, I have matured a lot etc etc. Basically I feel like a letter from a professor I haven't talked to in several years that knows me from a class I took 4 years ago is not the best reflection of who I am now. In fact my committee says I have been out too long and they don't feel like writing me a letter is reflective of where I am now. Fair enough.

My friend is saying "2 science professor letters" means ONLY letters from med school pre-reqs. I can ask one prof from undergrad and he would probably write me a decent letter but I only took upper level bio classes with him. Also I was planning on using mostly graduate professor letters. I mean a class with medical or immunology in the title has to be recognized as science heavy even if it's offered through the pub health school?

So basically people who have been through t he process, is it cool to use only upper level undergrad or graduate level courses for letters? I feel like retaking gen chem at a CC just to get a letter from a pre-req prof is really disingenuous.

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[Juan Solo]

Okay I know this question gets asked a lot but I'm having an argument with my friend right now and a lot of school websites are pretty nebulous.

So I have been out of undergrad for 2 years, which makes me kind of non-trad? I am currently in a science heavy MSPH program and a lot of my classes are half med students and half public health students. I am planning on getting my LORs from these graduate profs because 1. I have been out of undergrad for a while now and 2. I didn't really know what I wanted to do in undergrad, my focus and plans changed, I have matured a lot etc etc. Basically I feel like a letter from a professor I haven't talked to in several years that knows me from a class I took 4 years ago is not the best reflection of who I am now. In fact my committee says I have been out too long and they don't feel like writing me a letter is reflective of where I am now. Fair enough.

My friend is saying "2 science professor letters" means ONLY letters from med school pre-reqs. I can ask one prof from undergrad and he would probably write me a decent letter but I only took upper level bio classes with him. Also I was planning on using mostly graduate professor letters. I mean a class with medical or immunology in the title has to be recognized as science heavy even if it's offered through the pub health school?

So basically people who have been through t he process, is it cool to use only upper level undergrad or graduate level courses for letters? I feel like retaking gen chem at a CC just to get a letter from a pre-req prof is really disingenuous.

A science LOR can be from any science course, not necessarily from a medical school pre-req. Yes it's cool to have your science LORs be from upper level undergrad or grad courses.

 

[Goro]

Your friend is wrong. Science is science. Don't worry about where the LOR comes from.

When in doubt, contact the Admissions office of the schools you're applying to.


My friend is saying "2 science professor letters" means ONLY letters from med school pre-reqs. I can ask one prof from undergrad and he would probably write me a decent letter but I only took upper level bio classes with him. Also I was planning on using mostly graduate professor letters. I mean a class with medical or immunology in the title has to be recognized as science heavy even if it's offered through the pub health school?

So basically people who have been through t he process, is it cool to use only upper level undergrad or graduate level courses for letters? I feel like retaking gen chem at a CC just to get a letter from a pre-req prof is really disingenuous.[/QUOTE]

 

[FancyZach]

Ok awesome. That's what I thought. I mean if I feel it's questionable I'll contact the school, but I'm trying to not be too neurotic this early on. I guess I shouldn't let other people get under my skin this easily!

 

[Juan Solo]

Good luck!