Academic referee advice

[flyingnoodle]

I have two character references - the volunteer coordinator at the hospital where I volunteer, and my muay thai instructor, who has seen me through hard training and fights. Both have known me for a couple years and can comment well on my personality. What I'm lacking is a proper academic reference.

 

The prof that had previously promised to be my reference backed out on me, and I can't reach another. Thus, I have three options for my academic reference:

 

1) A prof in whose course I got a good grade, and who has been the lab coordinator for a couple other successful courses that I've taken. However, I do not know her personally, so she can't comment on my personality.

 

2) A T.A. I had for a yearlong lab course, in whose labs I did very well and with whom I interacted a good deal during that year. Unfortunately, he is "just a T.A.", so I don't know how much his opinion would count.

 

3) A high school teacher who has known me for several years, and was both my science teacher and guidance counsellor. She knows me very well, but I'm not sure whether it's a good idea to use a high school teacher as a referee.

 

And finally, the question: Which of those three would make the best academic reference, given there are no other profs who I can ask?

[future_doc]

I would be inclined to forget the T.A. I have a similar probolem with any potential prof. I can approach one of several profs in whose courses I either obtained an A or A+. However, they don't know me, they know my grades. I believe that if I cannot obtain a "strong" LOR and only obtain a no-name LOR it is absolutely worthless. So, I yhink we are on equal territory. I am going to approach a prof this week, give her my CV, excplain U need a "strong" LOR for med school; if she, by body language or words, hesitates, I might try another, but will probably go to a Spervisor for my patient internship (also my employer this summer) and she knows me well, from mahy perspectives, including academically.

 

Bottom line, if your prof won;t give a "strong" LOR, which you must ask for, your high school teacher weould be perfect. As science teach and guidance counsellor, anything this teacher will say has already been validated by your GPA, however, the teacher is absolutely qualified to give valuable inside into who you are. Go for it, don't waste any time! Good luck.

[LostLamb]

When I needed a professor from a course to be my referee, I told them as much...that I understand you do not know me personally that well but I would be willing to meet up with you and discuss my motivations for medicine/grad school/whatever. We had a lengthy discussion at the conclusion of which he gladly granted me the reference I required.

 

Some profs might not be willing and are less approachable, but you do not know unless you ask. You are better off asking a professor from a smaller class in this instance, so they would recognize you as actually having attended class and been attentive in class, in addition to knowing that you did well.

 

Sometimes the TA reference can work...often a course has a professor in charge but it is run by TAs (ie. lab courses). I know of people who have asked the professor for a reference but it was essentially written by the TA and signed off by the prof. Not quite kosher to me, but whatever you're most comfortable with is what works.

[AdamP]

I think the HS teacher is the easy choice.

[discworldheavylight]

Hi,

 

I would also like your feedback on choices in academic references. I worked in a prominent PI's lab this summer who is also a prof at UofT. I feel that I did a fairly good job in his lab, but I saw very little of him and was mostly supervised by a phD student. I have asked him to write me a reference to which he has complied, but I understand this does not mean that he will write me a strong reference. I was always rather nervous around him because he was a rather intimidating man and I worry my reference will not be very good.

 

Would it be wrong of me to ask him directly if he would be willing to provide me with a strong reference? I worry that if I ask him that he will say no and I don't feel that at this point I'm confident going to a professor who doesn't know me personally.

 

Can someone give some feedback on what I should do? It would be greatly appreciated.

[Prion]

Hi,

 

I would also like your feedback on choices in academic references. I worked in a prominent PI's lab this summer who is also a prof at UofT. I feel that I did a fairly good job in his lab, but I saw very little of him and was mostly supervised by a phD student. I have asked him to write me a reference to which he has complied, but I understand this does not mean that he will write me a strong reference. I was always rather nervous around him because he was a rather intimidating man and I worry my reference will not be very good.

 

Would it be wrong of me to ask him directly if he would be willing to provide me with a strong reference? I worry that if I ask him that he will say no and I don't feel that at this point I'm confident going to a professor who doesn't know me personally.

 

Can someone give some feedback on what I should do? It would be greatly appreciated.

Does your PI have a history of writing good reference letters? Ask around first and get a sense of how serious does he treat these things.

[HBP]

HS teacher is your definite choice

[HBP]

Hi,

 

I would also like your feedback on choices in academic references. I worked in a prominent PI's lab this summer who is also a prof at UofT. I feel that I did a fairly good job in his lab, but I saw very little of him and was mostly supervised by a phD student. I have asked him to write me a reference to which he has complied, but I understand this does not mean that he will write me a strong reference. I was always rather nervous around him because he was a rather intimidating man and I worry my reference will not be very good.

 

Would it be wrong of me to ask him directly if he would be willing to provide me with a strong reference? I worry that if I ask him that he will say no and I don't feel that at this point I'm confident going to a professor who doesn't know me personally.

 

Can someone give some feedback on what I should do? It would be greatly appreciated.

 

Your PI will probably write you a good reference. If he's any good, chances are he'll talk to his PHD student for his/her opinion.

[discworldheavylight]

Thanks so much for all your replies.

 

Unfortunately, my PI has only had one summer student previous to me and that student was a volunteer and as such, had different responsibilities from me. This student is also currently in Quebec, or somewhere else ridiculously far like that. I'm really not sure if he typically writes strong references. I know he has very high standards of performance for everyone in his lab.

 

Would it be wrong of me to ask him?

[LostLamb]

Thanks so much for all your replies.

 

Unfortunately, my PI has only had one summer student previous to me and that student was a volunteer and as such, had different responsibilities from me. This student is also currently in Quebec, or somewhere else ridiculously far like that. I'm really not sure if he typically writes strong references. I know he has very high standards of performance for everyone in his lab.

 

Would it be wrong of me to ask him?

 

Ask the other grad students what the history of writing letters is in his lab. Do people tend to succeed who ask for references from him?

 

I do not think there is anything wrong with asking if an individual can write you a strong reference. That is the only kind you want! If there is any hesitation...you have your answer right away.