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Blue.beaker

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  • Location
    Colorado
  • Application Season
    2017 Fall
  • Program
    Biochemistry

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  1. - Yes, I am asking my current PI to write me a letter. She knows me very well and will definitely be able to talk about my research and the research I do for her is directly related to the programs I am applying to. The other professor I am asking for a letter from I am currently work for as a TA, so he will be able to talk both about my teaching skills and my writing and presentation skills. So those two letters alone would cover most of those areas and I think both of them would be pretty detailed. For the third writer, the old PI would probably talk about my research in a different area of chemistry and the instructor I am thinking of asking would probably talk about my writing skills (he loved my lab reports) and presentation skills. - The school I am going to is very small and so each lab only has a handful of undergrads and one or two master students (no postdocs). The lab I was in with the old PI had one masters student while I was there (he was the one that helped me with the hands on aspects of my research), but he has already graduated and left the school so I think getting a co-written letter would be unlikely. I'm leaning towards option 2 over the old PI because I feel like the letter would be more detailed. My only concern was that it might be a red flag if I talked about the research I did in that lab but didn't include the PI as a letter writer.
  2. Hi everyone, I am a biochemistry major and I am currently applying to various biomedical science or biochemistry Phd. programs. Most of the programs I am applying to require three letters of recommendation. My problem is that I have four possible letter writers. There are two people that I am definitely going to ask: my current PI and a professor who I have taken multiple classes with (five of them) and who I am currently working for as a TA. These are the two options I have for the third letter writer: 1. My old PI. Most of the schools I am applying to are very interested in previous research experience and I plan to talk a little about the research I did for this PI in my personal statements. However, the reason I am hesitant to ask him is that it has been about a year since I did research for him and even though he was my PI, I did not know him that well. He was an extremely hands off PI, and while I know he would be willing to write me a letter, I have a feeling that it would not be a very detailed/personal letter. His area of research also does not match the programs I am planning to apply to, so that is also something to consider. 2. An instructor that has taught two of the biochemistry labs that I have taken. This instructor really liked me (so much so that he actually wrote me a thank you note for working so hard in his classes). I am also currently working as a TA for this instructor as well and I know him fairly well. I have a feeling that his letter would be more detailed. Which one would you pick? The first option emphasizes my research experiences and I feel like it might look weird to describe the research that I did for him in my personal statement, but not include a letter of recommendation from him. However, the second option would give me a more detailed/personal letter.
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