LOR from graduate instructor Forum

[Buckeye33]

Okay, so I was basically wondering if it would hurt my chances of getting into schools if I were to get a LOR from a graduate instructor (a Ph.D candidate) with whom I took a class rather than a full professor. I did extremely well in this course, and feel the instructor got to know me - and my work - much better than my other professors. Because of this, I know he could write a great - and very detailed/specific - letter. I'm shooting for Case Western, U Cincinnati, and other T2 schools. If not, I think I could find a professor willing to write it, so it's no big deal. Thoughts?

[bernaldiaz]

Yeah you'll be more than okay at those schools with Grad student recs. Even Yale said they understand a lot of time that TA's (who would be at even a lower standing than a grad student actually teaching a class) are the one's that UG students have the most access to and can write the best recs.

So if TA's are good enough for Yale, PHD candidates are more than good enough for T2's.

[Buckeye33]

Thank you, sir. I appreciate the help and the super quick reply.

[justinp]

One of my recs was from a teaching fellow (so a Ph.D. candidate who was teaching a class) and another was from a paralegal at the Legal Aid office where I worked for a summer; I only had one from an actual tenured prof. My cycle has gone just fine. They want people who know your work really well in some kind of supervisory role, and it doesn't matter much to them whether it's someone with a fancy title.