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I would not call it a great letter, but the guy meant well. In addition to his own writing that talked about my classes with him, he included almost verbatim a short list of non-school activities I was going to put on my expanded LS resume. (Part of the information most profs will request so they know what you do outside of their class). I was planning on using him as a 3rd LOR. His is the only one I've actually seen. Would most of you still use him?

RCSOB657 wrote:I would not call it a great letter, but the guy meant well. In addition to his own writing that talked about my classes with him, he included almost verbatim a short list of non-school activities I was going to put on my expanded LS resume. (Part of the information most profs will request so they know what you do outside of their class). I was planning on using him as a 3rd LOR. His is the only one I've actually seen. Would most of you still use him?

If the list in short, then can't he just delete it?

Seoulless wrote:

RCSOB657 wrote:I would not call it a great letter, but the guy meant well. In addition to his own writing that talked about my classes with him, he included almost verbatim a short list of non-school activities I was going to put on my expanded LS resume. (Part of the information most profs will request so they know what you do outside of their class). I was planning on using him as a 3rd LOR. His is the only one I've actually seen. Would most of you still use him?

If the list in short, then can't he just delete it?

The LOR was sent off to LSAC already. I just saw a copy after he had already submitted. I guess I can ask if he would resubmit if that is what you are saying? Thanks.

I don't see why this is a problem. You can still list these things on your resume. It's not like your activities are supposed to be kept secret from your recommenders. Be thankful and don't demand minor changes when you aren't even supposed to see the letter in the first place.

I don't see why you have a problem with him writing things "verbatim" as the list you gave him. If you enjoy windsurfing, and he wrote "windsurfing," that's not an issue. Simple activities can only be expressed in a small number of ways.

If it really bugs you, the obvious solution would be to change the wording of your own resume. Don't be a pain in the neck for someone who did you a huge favor.

Dirigo wrote:I don't see why this is a problem. You can still list these things on your resume. It's not like your activities are supposed to be kept secret from your recommenders. Be thankful and don't demand minor changes when you aren't even supposed to see the letter in the first place.

I don't see why you have a problem with him writing things "verbatim" as the list you gave him. If you enjoy windsurfing, and he wrote "windsurfing," that's not an issue. Simple activities can only be expressed in a small number of ways.

If it really bugs you, the obvious solution would be to change the wording of your own resume. Don't be a pain in the neck for someone who did you a huge favor.

I agree with Rigo. I don't understand why you can't both put your activities. The only real issue here would be if he had put different activities than those you actually did.

Dirigo wrote:I don't see why this is a problem. You can still list these things on your resume. It's not like your activities are supposed to be kept secret from your recommenders. Be thankful and don't demand minor changes when you aren't even supposed to see the letter in the first place.

So this is the OP's 3rd LoR? Were the other 2 employers?

You can ask to see the letter, although this can impact the candidness of what's written. I know a lot of professors WILL NOT write a student a letter if they don't waive their rights.

Honestly though, if it is really what you've described (a verbatim list of activities), it can't really hurt you. My concern would be if you had not seen the content and the LoR writer, who only has your resume on hand, starts writing in filler. This can be bad. Example: Assuming someone is an ethnicity that they are not and writing things about supposed hardships that may not have even happened, thinking this will give the applicant a boost. This can also be done out of sabotage as well.

lol sabotage wtf

I didn't ask to see it or to change it. He sent me a copy. He's a professor I have had three times in my minor, but spent most of his life as a Fed cop and thus is not a trained academic (not a phd). The other two LORs are from professors in my major. It was no big deal, I just did not format the list I sent to him to use for information so I was worried how it would look.

I don't see why this is a problem. You can still list these things on your resume. It's not like your activities are supposed to be kept secret from your recommenders.

That reassured me, because I did not know if that would be a problem and is why I asked. I sent 6 apps off already.

it is not that weird for a prof to send you a courtesy copy of a LOR. some don't, some do.

whatever he wrote in his LOR, just paraphrase/reword it in your resume or w/e.