Should I get a letter of recommendation from a lecturer at my university?

[theduckster]

I took a really enjoyable advanced math class at my university (proof-intensive) and the teacher was a postdoc at the time (now a "lecturer", and not yet a professor). I know his status might harm the letter, but he was a great teacher and I am also pretty sure I ranked top 3 in the class (and he is aware of this and will bring it up in the letter if he writes it).

My question is: Should I still get this letter given that he is only a lecturer? Will admissions committees take it seriously?

[ResilientDreams]

Well. I'm in a different field, but my honors thesis advisor is a lecturer and I'm getting a letter from her and it's going to be my strongest one probably. If they can speak to your strengths it shouldn't matter what their rank is. 

[theduckster]

Thank you for your reply @ResilientDreams! I totally agree, but I am worried that the admissions committee will see it differently (even the faculty member in question warned me of this).

Do any folks on this forum know how Statistics ad coms specifically would react in this situation?

[cyberwulf]

The problem with letters from non-faculty is that the main purpose of letters is to put your performance and abilities in context. Since non-faculty haven't had as much interaction with students, it's harder for them to contextualize. Non-faculty know this, and so I've noticed that their letters tend to be a bit more guarded and less enthusiastic than those from faculty.

So, a positive letter from a postdoc certainly won't hurt you, but it's also unlikely that a super-positive letter from a postdoc will substantially boost your application.

Edited October 16, 2018 by cyberwulf

[theduckster]

Thank you for your comment @cyberwulf.

In my case I am applying to Master's programs, so would the letter still be okay if the letter writer (a lecturer) is talking about my class performance as he taught the advanced math class?

[cyberwulf]

Yes that sounds fine.