Whom Should I Ask for LOR No.2? Forum

[Entchen]

Hi all,

I was hoping you could help me decide which of my professors I should request my second academic letter of recommendation from. I was going to do just one professor from my major and then my boss, but I am realizing I do really need a second academic one. So I have a few options, and am not sure which one to go with -- any advice would be helpful.

Prof. A -- also from my major. I would prefer to have people from different departments, but this guy knows me best of the three options. I took two classes with him -- sophomore year I got a B, below the median for that class, and kind of hated his teaching style, but it was for a class about as far away from his area of expertise as possible within my department. Senior year, I took his class in his area, loved it, got an A (above median for that class), and have been in contact with him since. I still have all of my assignments from that class, and the paper I wrote for Prof. B's class (see below) used the things I learned from Prof. A. Since my major was so small, he knows me pretty well, and can talk about my involvement in the department, though of course the guy writing my first LOR can do that also. Also, he was a visiting prof., so he is no longer at my alma mater, though I still have his contact info.

Prof B. -- I only took one class, an advanced logic class, with him. There were only 11 people in the class though, and it was my senior spring, so hopefully he will know who I am. We had two exams which I did not do particularly well on, but he really loved my final paper, which worked in the material from Prof. A's class. I'm not sure what else he'd say about me, though, and I haven't been in touch with him since I graduated. My grade was at the median for the class, but it was a small class full of Phil majors, so everyone did pretty well.

Prof. C. -- took her class senior spring for a distrib and ended up loving it. I did well on all of her exams, she liked my papers, and we have emailed a little bit (I emailed her to let her know about something we learned in her class showing up in pop culture), but, like B, she does not know much about me outside of class. Also, even though I got an A, there was a bit of a mix-up which resulted in her not getting my final paper until a day late, so she might think I'm irresponsible? Hope not! My work for the class was good, but I would not say any of it is stuff I am particularly proud of, like the paper for Prof. B's class is.

As you can see, none of my options are all that great. Either the guy who knows me best but might be repetitive, or two people who could say moderately good things about me but didn't really know me outside of class at all. To add to the fun, I am now 500 miles from my college, and even if I did travel there, the professors won't even be around until late September, so I have to request these by email.

Anyway, if you get through all this and have time for a quick reply, thanks!

[Sell Manilla]

Prof. A...but this guy knows me best of the three options. I took two classes with him...Senior year, I took his class in his area, loved it, got an A (above median for that class), and have been in contact with him since. I still have all of my assignments from that class, and the paper I wrote for Prof. B's class (see below) used the things I learned from Prof. A. Since my major was so small, he knows me pretty well, and can talk about my involvement in the department

Prof B. -- I only took one class, ... I'm not sure what else he'd say about me, though, and I haven't been in touch with him since I graduated.

Prof. C. -- but, like B, she does not know much about me outside of class. Also, ...which resulted in her not getting my final paper until a day late, so she might think I'm irresponsible? Hope not! My work for the class was good, but I would not say any of it is stuff I am particularly proud of...

I'd choose quality over diversity.
I vote A.
If both good ones were outside your major, then maybe I'd suggest sacking one in favor of a prof from your major, but your "repetition" situation doesn't seem worrisome to me.

[Disclaimer, I haven't gone through the admissions process yet, & don't work in admissions, soooooo wait for more responses]

[Deuce]

All of them... most law schools ask for 2-4 LORs, so you give them 4.

[northwood]

definately a, maybe c. ( it doesnt sound like prof b knows a lot about you) E-mail or call them ( its going to be difficult over the summer to get in contact with them) to get a sense of how they feel about your and if they would write a positive one.

Have your boss write a letter for you. It would be refreshing to have another perspective about you from outside academia. You would be ensured of at least 2 good letters, ( most likely 3, with prof a) and maybe one that you would send ( c) if schools needed 4 letters and not 3.

HOw long have you been out of UG? If its over 3 years, then your boss letter may be slightly mnore important than your academic letters? If its 1 year or less or you havent worked for your boss in a while, then academia may have more weight.

[northwood]

if they ask for 2-4, you can give them,2, 3, or 4 letters. I would go with 3 or 4 to be on the safe side

[Haribo]

Don't give them four letters unless they'll all be saying different things and adding to your application package in a tangible way. Unfortunately, I can't find the reference, but a few years back an adcomm actually said that sending more than two LORs usually hurts a candidate because they tend to all say very similar things and end up a little annoying.

[Entchen]

Thanks all,

I am definitely still doing the first professor AND the boss (I will have been at this job 2 years by the time I start law school), I just thought I would need an additional academic one. So 3 total, 2 profs. and my boss.

I am going to ask Professor A from this list and see what he says.

[bmercado]

I had a question about a potential LOR as well... I am a transfer student (from community college to 4 yr university) and I have always kept in touch with my old Biology professor from community college. I havnt taken a class with him for 2 years but we have become close friends and I know he will write me a great LOR. I just wanted to know if anyone thinks that this would be an inappropriate LOR since its been awhile since ive taken a class with him and because he teaches bio at a cc, a subject that is completely irrelevant to my major (criminology).? thanks

[northwood]

nope, you are fine. It doesnt matter what course you took ( or what he teaches). All that matters is how positive the letter makes you seem