Top Law Schools

Hey everyone,

I currently have two (I think good) LORs from well respected members of my university.

I asked my foreign language teacher for one over email over a month ago (she moved several states over after my class ended). She responded this morning with the following email, and I'm not sure whether she's trying to politely decline or not.

I did take both of her successive six hour language courses one semester after the other (that is, I had her class Monday through Friday from August until May to complete 4th semester proficiency). I say this because she should know me pretty well and was with me through easily my most difficult classes in my undergrad.

Please please please don't quote, I believe I cut out enough to protect her privacy but it's still something I'd like to delete afterwards. Here's the email.

"As for your request, I am honored that you would think of me, but I am concerned that mine would not be the strongest recommendation for law school. This is not at all to say that I would not write you a glowing recommentation, but that I don't know how highly a top tier law school would value a recommendation from a graduate student language instructor. If you still think, despite this, that a letter from me will help, I will consider it, depending on the time frame."

That's a pretty firm no. A polite but firm no.

She straight out says that she can't write you a strong rec. I wouldn't recommend pursuing this one any further.

whitespider wrote:That's a pretty firm no. A polite but firm no.

She straight out says that she can't write you a strong rec. I wouldn't recommend pursuing this one any further.

She said that she didn't think a top school would appreciate her recommendation. She goes out of her way to say she isn't saying what you suggest. A polite but firm no would be "i wouldn't be the best choice to write your recommendation as I don't think my recommendation would would be a strong one." She just doesn't think a grad student is on the level with a professor.

Honestly, professors are the best choice. Certain professors don't write recommendations and leave that to the TAs who have direct contact with the students. If you have actual professors who can recommend you, that would probably be better, but if this person liked you and you did well in class, the recommendation will be sufficient.

I guess reading it again, I see your point.

That last sentence in her message, though, has a lot of qualifiers in it. She sure doesn't seem excited about the prospect of writing a LOR.

whitespider wrote:I guess reading it again, I see your point.

That last sentence in her message, though, has a lot of qualifiers in it. She sure doesn't seem excited about the prospect of writing a LOR.

Very true. She said: "I'll consider it." Though it could be because I sent it to her over a month ago.

Also she said she'd give me a "glowing recommendation"

My thought process is that I have two LORs from teachers with PhDs, and this person knows me better than other professors I could possibly ask.

Eh, I think an instructor is an instructor is an instructor. For PhD programs, a graduate TA/instructor is not the best choice, but I think for law school, her qualifications are less important than how she knows you. She taught you (in fairly intensive circumstances) she can comment on your academic abilities, and she can compare you to other students. (The number of students she's taught is a separate issue from her qualifications - may grad student instructors teach/have taught more than some professors.) I suspect her reluctance comes from seeing things in the PhD context rather than law school context (she may also just be busy/aware of time passing giving her references to "depending on the time frame").

I agree that she doesn't sound very excited to do it, but she does also say she'll give you a glowing one, and really, if she's the instructor who knows you the best, her letter will be more useful than a full prof who doesn't know you. I might respond politely explaining why you think she'd be best and asking her one more time, but then drop it if she doesn't agree.

(To the extent any LORs matter, which except for HYS or active sabotage isn't much.)

hereisonehand wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:Eh, I think an instructor is an instructor is an instructor. For PhD programs, a graduate TA/instructor is not the best choice, but I think for law school, her qualifications are less important than how she knows you. She taught you (in fairly intensive circumstances) she can comment on your academic abilities, and she can compare you to other students. (The number of students she's taught is a separate issue from her qualifications - may grad student instructors teach/have taught more than some professors.) I suspect her reluctance comes from seeing things in the PhD context rather than law school context (she may also just be busy/aware of time passing giving her references to "depending on the time frame").

I agree that she doesn't sound very excited to do it, but she does also say she'll give you a glowing one, and really, if she's the instructor who knows you the best, her letter will be more useful than a full prof who doesn't know you. I might respond politely explaining why you think she'd be best and asking her one more time, but then drop it if she doesn't agree.

(To the extent any LORs matter, which except for HYS or active sabotage isn't much.)

Yeah, fair enough - I come to this as knowledgeable only about applying to doctoral programs. Still, I wouldn't take the risk; you never know if someone snotty is reading your application.

Do you think it would actually hurt though?

Mouse hit the nail on the head that this person knows know my work in a very intense setting (at the very minimum, she would read 5 essays of mine per week in a very difficult and uncommon foreign language).

She does have a PhD now, but she was still student when she taught me.

As I said earlier, I have two LORs from professors with doctorates, so this would be a 3rd and final letter.

Yeah, law school admissions are really not very much like doctoral admissions at all. I really don't think it will make the slightest difference.