Recommender Question Forum

[Anonymous User]

Probably overthinking this, but is it ok if your recommender can say good things about you, but probably won't say something along the lines of X is in the top 15/10/5/1 percent of students I have ever had. Reason I ask is I'm sure the Professor I am asking likes me, but I got an A- in his large lecture class and an A- in his seminar so it is not like I'm one of the best students — gradewise — he/she has ever had.

[nixy]

What’s your alternative? If you have a prof who can say you’re in the top [whatever] percent of students they’ve ever had, then yeah, you should probably ask them. If you don’t, then you don’t (I’m sure lots of us didn’t), and asking a prof who likes you is the way to go. You can still get hired without the “top X percent” endorsement, even if in the abstract it’s better to have it than not. It’s not a reason not to apply.

[mjb447]

Yes, it's OK. Obviously, it's nice to get that "best 10%" (or whatever) endorsement, but it's not expected and, like nixy said, it's mathematically unavailable to most people. (Plus, insofar as you're focusing on grades, your transcript says what it says.) You can still get a really good recommendation that helps put your law school performance into context and tells chambers a little bit more about the kind of applicant you are and what you'll be like to interact with.

[Anonymous User]

What’s your alternative? If you have a prof who can say you’re in the top [whatever] percent of students they’ve ever had, then yeah, you should probably ask them. If you don’t, then you don’t (I’m sure lots of us didn’t), and asking a prof who likes you is the way to go. You can still get hired without the “top X percent” endorsement, even if in the abstract it’s better to have it than not. It’s not a reason not to apply.

Same anon. Could get a Professor who I got an A in and my exam was top 5%. Went to office hours like 2 times and I'm sure she would say I was smart and nice and would make an effort to write something else. Feel like the other Professor knows me way better, though, and I have also talked to him about intellectual stuff that goes beyond the course. (i.e. we have a more organic connection) Pure academic wise though there is no way he is going to be able to write an "X is one of the best students or among the best students I have ever had." He could write X is among the top 1/4 or top 1/3 of students I have ever had but I feel like once you get past top 10% judges lose interest.

[Anonymous User]

What’s your alternative? If you have a prof who can say you’re in the top [whatever] percent of students they’ve ever had, then yeah, you should probably ask them. If you don’t, then you don’t (I’m sure lots of us didn’t), and asking a prof who likes you is the way to go. You can still get hired without the “top X percent” endorsement, even if in the abstract it’s better to have it than not. It’s not a reason not to apply.

Same anon. Could get a Professor who I got an A in and my exam was top 5%. Went to office hours like 2 times and I'm sure she would say I was smart and nice and would make an effort to write something else. Feel like the other Professor knows me way better, though, and I have also talked to him about intellectual stuff that goes beyond the course. (i.e. we have a more organic connection) Pure academic wise though there is no way he is going to be able to write an "X is one of the best students or among the best students I have ever had." He could write X is among the top 1/4 or top 1/3 of students I have ever had but I feel like once you get past top 10% judges lose interest.

This is a tough question. I would ask around your campus if either professor is known for writing good/bad letters. My gut tells me you should go with the prof who knows you better, but I know some professors who are willing to write very strong letters for anyone who did well in their class.

[Anonymous User]

What’s your alternative? If you have a prof who can say you’re in the top [whatever] percent of students they’ve ever had, then yeah, you should probably ask them. If you don’t, then you don’t (I’m sure lots of us didn’t), and asking a prof who likes you is the way to go. You can still get hired without the “top X percent” endorsement, even if in the abstract it’s better to have it than not. It’s not a reason not to apply.

Same anon. Could get a Professor who I got an A in and my exam was top 5%. Went to office hours like 2 times and I'm sure she would say I was smart and nice and would make an effort to write something else. Feel like the other Professor knows me way better, though, and I have also talked to him about intellectual stuff that goes beyond the course. (i.e. we have a more organic connection) Pure academic wise though there is no way he is going to be able to write an "X is one of the best students or among the best students I have ever had." He could write X is among the top 1/4 or top 1/3 of students I have ever had but I feel like once you get past top 10% judges lose interest.

This is a tough question. I would ask around your campus if either professor is known for writing good/bad letters. My gut tells me you should go with the prof who knows you better, but I know some professors who are willing to write very strong letters for anyone who did well in their class.

Talked to one person who said from what he has been told by the judge who hired him said Professor wrote a great rec. That guy also got an A in the two classes he took with the professor though so I am unsure how cross-compatible this is for me.

Would anyone's decision change if along with the above my other two recs are one professor I RAd for and the other Professor who I got an A in her class and also TAd for?