How bad does NO LOR from advisor hurts

[OliverXu]

Expecting to get my master degree in a master and PhD program. I have a good relationship with my advisor, the only reason why I didn’t ask for a letter is that I don’t think he is happy to see me move on! Some faculty said to me that my advisor valued me and will try everything to keep me here. 

So, how bad will this hurt? If this is vital, should I ask for an additional one? Currently, three LORs are: committee member whose research field not directly related, Professsor in graduate course, Professor in undergraduate as a mentor.

[Noegenesis]

It might not "hurt" per se, but if that advisor would be able to talk more in-depth about your research than your other LOR writers, then you might be missing out on a good reference. It probably won't hurt to ask this advisor for a recommendation---Have you tried asking?

[OliverXu]

19 minutes ago, Noegenesis said:

It might not "hurt" per se, but if that advisor would be able to talk more in-depth about your research than your other LOR writers, then you might be missing out on a good reference. It probably won't hurt to ask this advisor for a recommendation---Have you tried asking?

No, I am too afraid that he will do something, I think he did his PhD in collaboration with one of the schools that I am applying 

[Anxiously Hopeful]

1 hour ago, OliverXu said:

Expecting to get my master degree in a master and PhD program. I have a good relationship with my advisor, the only reason why I didn’t ask for a letter is that I don’t think he is happy to see me move on! Some faculty said to me that my advisor valued me and will try everything to keep me here. 

So, how bad will this hurt? If this is vital, should I ask for an additional one? Currently, three LORs are: committee member whose research field not directly related, Professsor in graduate course, Professor in undergraduate as a mentor.

4

I was in the exact same situation as you are right now. However, I somehow gathered the courage to ask him to give me a recommendation letter. Not to mention the amount of discouragement he showered on me from pursuing higher studies abroad and not under him. Nevertheless, he gave me the recommendation even though it was not the best. I think once you show how much you really want to go somewhere else, your advisor is not going to force you to stay and be revengeful by not giving a LOR. At the end of the day, it will be a matter of prestige for him to be sending his student to a better place and getting recognized by eminent people through you.

Also, if you are planning to do research in the same as area as you did under your current advisor, then yes, his recommendation is valuable. 

All the best!

[OliverXu]

1 hour ago, Anxiously Hopeful said:

I was in the exact same situation as you are right now. However, I somehow gathered the courage to ask him to give me a recommendation letter. Not to mention the amount of discouragement he showered on me from pursuing higher studies abroad and not under him. Nevertheless, he gave me the recommendation even though it was not the best. I think once you show how much you really want to go somewhere else, your advisor is not going to force you to stay and be revengeful by not giving a LOR. At the end of the day, it will be a matter of prestige for him to be sending his student to a better place and getting recognized by eminent people through you.

Also, if you are planning to do research in the same as area as you did under your current advisor, then yes, his recommendation is valuable. 

All the best!

Thanks for the reply! You are right, I should probably ask him a LOR. Although right now it's kind of late in the application process. but I guess they are always open to more information right?

[Sigaba]

3 hours ago, OliverXu said:

Expecting to get my master degree in a master and PhD program. I have a good relationship with my advisor, the only reason why I didn’t ask for a letter is that I don’t think he is happy to see me move on! Some faculty said to me that my advisor valued me and will try everything to keep me here. 

So, how bad will this hurt? If this is vital, should I ask for an additional one? Currently, three LORs are: committee member whose research field not directly related, Professsor in graduate course, Professor in undergraduate as a mentor.

Not having a LOR from your advisor will raise at least as many flags as having a LOR from a professor you had as an undergraduate. 

[Anxiously Hopeful]

2 hours ago, OliverXu said:

Thanks for the reply! You are right, I should probably ask him a LOR. Although right now it's kind of late in the application process. but I guess they are always open to more information right?

Yup. Go for it!

[OliverXu]

21 hours ago, Sigaba said:

Not having a LOR from your advisor will raise at least as many flags as having a LOR from a professor you had as an undergraduate. 

Why? I can understand that LOR from advisor is important but having a professor from undergraduate is not OK? I just want some reference for my undergraduate work and study.

[Sigaba]

3 hours ago, OliverXu said:

Why? I can understand that LOR from advisor is important but having a professor from undergraduate is not OK? I just want some reference for my undergraduate work and study.

LoR's help to answer a question "Can the applicant do the work at the graduate level?" An LoR from a professor one knows as a graduate student is arguably more beneficial to an applicant than a reference letter from a professor one knew as an undergraduate.

[OliverXu]

So, UPDATE!

My advisor just agreed to give me an LOR, but given this time and they already got three letters, do you guys think I should go ahead and try to add this additional LOR?

And how should I address possible questions might be raised by the late submission by my advisor.

Please help!