Never became close with any professors...how to get LORs? Forum

[ClaytonR]

Title pretty much says it all. I took a few classes with the same professor but I never raised my hand in class or visited office hours. For what it's worth, I turned in solid if not memorable work.

What should I do? Planning to apply this coming Sept./October.

[redsoxfan2495]

When are you applying? [EDIT: You already answered that... sorry.]Do you still have time to build some kind of a relationship with any of your professors?

I would do my best to try and impress a few professors this semester. If worst comes to worst you might have to ask a professor or two who you're not sure about, but the worst they can do is say no.

[ClaytonR]

When are you applying? Do you still have time to build some kind of a relationship with any of your professors?

This coming cycle.

Nope, it's too late in the game.

[rahimali]

it's not too late. just email every one you can remember and remind them of your performance/gade in the class.

[ClaytonR]

it's not too late. just email every one you can remember and remind them of your performance/gade in the class.

What will they say? "Oh yeah, I remember you never participating and your B paper."?

[rahimali]

it's not too late. just email every one you can remember and remind them of your performance/gade in the class.

What will they say? "Oh yeah, I remember you never participating and your B paper."?

i don't know...just giving some advice, dude. what do you have to lose? the worse they can say is "hell to the naw!"

[redsoxfan2495]

it's not too late. just email every one you can remember and remind them of your performance/gade in the class.

What will they say? "Oh yeah, I remember you never participating and your B paper."?

If you haven't particularly impressed anyone in the past you still have the rest of this semester to suck up to a few professors and get letters out of them.

[czelede]

I was in pretty much the same position, coming from a school/major where most of my lectures were 100+ people. Professors generally understand the situation and are willing to help you out. Just send them an email, briefly express that you enjoyed their class and etc and would they have the time to write you a recommendation in support of your application? Then offer to provide additional materials (resume/personal statement/a paper you wrote for their class) and/or a personal meeting to better discuss your goals, etc. You may have to email more than one (but prioritize them of course so you don't end up asking 5 professors at the same time) as some are busy and some may not remember you. But you should be able to at least find the requisite two academic recommendations provided you give them a few months time.

[pokerlaw]

I was only close with one professor. For another, I just wrote them asking for a LOR and reminded them of my performance in the class and some of the commentary they had on my work(I saved all my major graded assignments).

He agreed and we set up a meeting to discuss what I wanted covered in the letter.

[2014]

What about TAs were you closer with any of them? While not ideal, a good TA LOR is better than a bleh professor one.

If that isn't an option, just show up for the office hours of the professors who seemed particularly welcoming and explain your situation. I promise it isn't the first time they have heard it. Make the rest of your application shine that much brighter to compensate too.

Email works as well, but I would encourage you to sack up and do it in person if that is feasible.

[ladybug89]

Are you still in school? The semester's not over yet! I'm also pretty quiet in class, and then this year I realized I needed to get it together. So I zeroed in on two profs and I'm doing my level best to suck up to them. I suck at it, of course, but whatever. Do what you need to do!

And as other people have said, asking someone whose class you did in well in will probably work too.

[Sandro]

I was "close" with one of my professors in that I overslept an exam and had to meet with him after class to retake it. We talked for a little, then talked about MA in his field, then asked for LS LOR. Boom.

[OnlyLivingBoyinNY]

I was "close" with one of my professors in that I overslept an exam and had to meet with him after class to retake it. We talked for a little, then talked about MA in his field, then asked for LS LOR. Boom.

ftw!

[TRex77]

ive only been close with one professor really.

trying to find a 2nd professor to write me a LOR. Got a 99% in this one profs. class so gonna ask him, even though i never raised my hand once. He wrote my friend one though so I know he is willing to write them.

[FiveSermon]

Just ask professors who you took the most classes with and got the most A's with. That's what I did. Don't think LOR's had any negative effect on my cycle.

[swfangirl]

This just means your LORs will prolly be mediocre. This is not a death sentence. It just means your LORs won't add to your application. Won't be a problem anywhere other than, like, Yale, I think (possibly Stanford).

Just send out e-mails to professors you had As with, particularly if the work you did was papers or exams with essays rather than multiple choice exams. Some are bound to agree, and when this occurs just attach one of those papers or exams (hopefully you still have some) so they have something to go off of.