Is it ok to ask someone for an LOR even if you didn't... Forum

[JustSomebody]

get a solid A in every class you took from him or her?

There's a prof I want to ask, who said I did an especially good job on this 10-page paper that I wrote for him. I got an A in that class, but only an A- in another class I took from him at the same time. I know these aren't terrible grades obviously, but should you only ask someone if you got a solid A in all classes from him or her?

I am aiming for t14 and ideally t6, so this is important to me.

[rinkrat19]

Yes. Get LORs from the people who can write the best things about you, with conviction, regardless of the grades you go in their classes. It's better to have a LOR from a prof from whom you got a B that says glowing things about your class involvement/work ethic/etc, than a boring, generic letter from a prof from whom you got an A.

[SullaFelix]

get a solid A in every class you took from him or her?

There's a prof I want to ask, who said I did an especially good job on this 10-page paper that I wrote for him. I got an A in that class, but only an A- in another class I took from him at the same time. I know these aren't terrible grades obviously, but should you only ask someone if you got a solid A in all classes from him or her?

I am aiming for t14 and ideally t6, so this is important to me.

Everything is "ok" — it's not like there's any rules about which professors you can ask (note: unless a specific application includes rules about which professors you can ask). Try to get the best possible academic LORs — letters that can attest to your talents as a students and what you'd bring to a new school — and don't worry about it.

[EarlCat]

LORs are about transforming your application from a file number into a human being. So pick the professors that know you best who can make you stand out as a person.

An LOR that says nothing more than, "Billy got an A+ in my political science class," isn't gonna help any more than the same mark your transcript. Even if you got a B in a class but the professor knows you really well and thinks you're a great person with a unique point of view and you're a pleasure to interact with, I'd call that a winner.