Relative importance of LORs?

[onerepublic96]

Hi all, I'm currently working on a 1-year English Literature MA programme in the UK. I'm due to complete it in the fall of 2019, and hopefully will then apply to PhD programmes in the US, to begin in the fall of 2020.

I just had a question about LORs, and how much weight they have in relation to all other application components (GRE scores, transcripts, writing sample, programme fit, etc.). The thing is, as this is a one-year MA programme, and I'm already basically halfway through, I'm realising that I haven't really formed any strong or close professional relationships with my module convenors. I've always had issues with participating much in seminar discussions (not a shyness issue; I've just learned to take a lot of notes and then think about the material/research on my own outside of class, then write papers) and this year has not been much different. At this point, I'm starting to get very anxious about whether I'll have anyone to write any solid LORs for me. There is one professor with whom I'm planning to meet regularly in the next month or so to discuss a paper I'm working on, so I expect that afterward, he would be in a position to provide a solid LOR. I'm also hoping that my dissertation supervisor (who hasn't been assigned yet) would be able to do so, as well. 

The problem is - for most of the PhD programmes I'm planning to apply to, the requirement is for 3 LORs, and here we come to my question:

I don't think there's anyone else here who will know me well enough to write a good LOR, but there is a professor at my undergraduate institution with whom I developed a very good relationship, and who I know will be able to write a great LOR (and actually already did so whilst I was applying for MA programmes). Would it be acceptable to use him as my 3rd reference? Or is there any way in which having an undergraduate reference would reflect poorly on my application? Also, how relatively important are LORs in the grand scheme of all other application elements? 

 

[Rootbound]

I can’t answer your question about the impact of a LOR from undergrad, but I can say that LORs are generally pretty important, behind your SOP and writing sample. I’m not sure how much extra work your undergraduate letter writer is willing to do, but perhaps share some of your work from your MA with them? That way they can speak more directly to your current level of scholarship. 

[dangermouse]

i 100% think it is fine to have someone from your undergrad write your third ref! this is of course just subjective experience but i did a 9 month masters and had 2 very good reference letters from tutors at my MA institution that i did not expect to be able to ask for until the last quarter of my degree when i spent a lot of one to one time with them, so i wouldn't worry at all about not getting solid refs in the basis of a shorter degree. and my third ref was my tutor at undergrad

[mandelbulb]

i think it'd be best for you to pull from your graduate experience. maybe set up individual meetings with some professors you've taken classes from and connect that way. i've found that professors are almost always open to discussing your ideas with you, helping you gather reading resources... even if that paper isn't for their own class. then they can speak to your work in their class and also your growth over the period of your degree. one year isn't much, it's true, but i do think you can connect with three professors during that time if you reach out to them now.

[Indecisive Poet]

I am in a very, very similar position to you and I am also planning to use 2 letters from my UK MA, and to ask my undergrad recommender to update her letter for the 3rd. For what it's worth, a friend of mine just accepted an offer at Notre Dame's PhD program earlier this week and she did the same thing – 2 letters from MA program, 1 from BA. A professor at my MA program advised me to do the same as well.

I would second @Rootbound's advice and suggest that you just share your MA work, current CV and updated research interests with your undergrad professor and ask them to write a letter that reflects those changes.

Edited February 17, 2019 by Indecisive Poet