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LOR from TA?
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 12:41 pm
by wtrc
Plan on submitting three LORs: from an employer, from a professor, and...
Either a TA (who now holds a PhD) who knows my work real well, or a professor who doesn't know me as well but would still write a good one (A in the class, good paper, etc)
Had the TA twice.
What's better to do? Thanks!
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 1:00 pm
by Dreas
weathercoins wrote:Plan on submitting three LORs: from an employer, from a professor, and...
Either a TA (who now holds a PhD) who knows my work real well, or a professor who doesn't know me as well but would still write a good one (A in the class, good paper, etc)
Had the TA twice.
What's better to do? Thanks!
Also interested about TA LOR.. mine went on to graduate from Boalt.
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 1:37 pm
by 20130312
The TA is fine. You just want the best recommendation you can get.
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 4:07 pm
by JWalker
I got one from a professor and one from a TA. You'll be fine.
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 1:56 pm
by WaterCoffeeBeer
TAs carry a lot less credibility. If it's not that inconvenient, why not ask the professor if s/he would be willing to read some of your work in order to be able to get a better appreciation for how good a student you are? Maybe the TA would be willing to talk to the professor about you for a while.
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 2:00 pm
by Dany
WaterCoffeeBeer wrote:TAs carry a lot less credibility. If it's not that inconvenient, why not ask the professor if s/he would be willing to read some of your work in order to be able to get a better appreciation for how good a student you are? Maybe the TA would be willing to talk to the professor about you for a while.
This is terrible advice. Admissions deans across the board have pretty much said to get LORs from people who know you best, not who has the fanciest job title.
A TA is perfectly fine as a recommender.
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 4:28 pm
by Ti Malice
Dany wrote:WaterCoffeeBeer wrote:TAs carry a lot less credibility. If it's not that inconvenient, why not ask the professor if s/he would be willing to read some of your work in order to be able to get a better appreciation for how good a student you are? Maybe the TA would be willing to talk to the professor about you for a while.
This is terrible advice. Admissions deans across the board have pretty much said to get LORs from people who know you best, not who has the fanciest job title.
A TA is perfectly fine as a recommender.
Correct.
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 4:36 pm
by Br3v
Chose TA who knows you over Prof who doesn't
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 4:46 pm
by top30man
InGoodFaith wrote:The TA is fine. You just want the best recommendation you can get.
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:02 pm
by bp shinners
Ti Malice wrote:Dany wrote:WaterCoffeeBeer wrote:TAs carry a lot less credibility. If it's not that inconvenient, why not ask the professor if s/he would be willing to read some of your work in order to be able to get a better appreciation for how good a student you are? Maybe the TA would be willing to talk to the professor about you for a while.
This is terrible advice. Admissions deans across the board have pretty much said to get LORs from people who know you best, not who has the fanciest job title.
A TA is perfectly fine as a recommender.
Correct.
Thirded to reiterate how bad this advice is.
Re: LOR from TA?
Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 8:53 pm
by Yardbird
bp shinners wrote:Ti Malice wrote:Dany wrote:WaterCoffeeBeer wrote:TAs carry a lot less credibility. If it's not that inconvenient, why not ask the professor if s/he would be willing to read some of your work in order to be able to get a better appreciation for how good a student you are? Maybe the TA would be willing to talk to the professor about you for a while.
This is terrible advice. Admissions deans across the board have pretty much said to get LORs from people who know you best, not who has the fanciest job title.
A TA is perfectly fine as a recommender.
Correct.
Thirded to reiterate how bad this advice is.
Fourthed and to add, a TA with PhD is a lot different from an undergraduate assistant type of TA. In fact, at my undergrad PhD students in a TA role are called teaching fellows (TFs) and usually run the discussion section of a class and do all the grading, whereas TAs are just former students who took the class you took and are available if you need help with something. TFs also are more available to get to know and have drinks with than a professor. Some classes are taught by PhD students entirely and you would never know unless you looked at their title on your school's website. Your TF might even have an assistant-professorship or post-doctorate fellowship somewhere now that he's done with his PhD.
and for the record, neither of my recommenders were "professors." One is a lecturer in the business school and one was a lecturer in the Arts & Sciences core program (though he just left for a tenure track professorship).