Having some issues...

[schoolpsych_hopeful]

About two weeks ago, I e-mailed my prospective LOR writers. My first two responded immediately, but the third has been mostly unresponsive. SO, I've pretty much decided I need to find someone else to write my third letter. Here's an outline of my first two letter writers:

#1 PI of the lab in which I am lab manager. Been working for him for over a year. Never had him as a professor.

#2 Professor that I had my senior year for a research methods course. Been working for her since then as a part-time research assistant (almost two years now).

So those two are a sure thing, and I know they will both write great letters. Here are the options for my third...

- Professor I did research with over a year ago. It was essentially a data entry type position. Haven't spoken to her since, but she is very nice. Letter would likely be generic, but likely positive.

- Former grad student from the lab in which I am lab manager. She just left to take an assistant Prof position. Helped her with her dissertation. She would write an awesome letter, BUT would it be weird to have a (former) grad student write a LOR? Even if she is a Professor now? Also slightly concerned that she wouldn't have the time, seeing as this is her first semester teaching/ at a new University.

- I could keep trying to contact my original #3. I had her for two classes relevant to my field, and I know she would write a good letter. The problem is that she is at another school now, and has been unresponsive by e-mail. I'm just worried that even if I do get a hold of her, she might agree to write the letter but then again be unresponsive.

What should I do?

Edited September 7, 2010 by schoolpsych_hopeful

[newms]

It could very well be that the third prof was too busy at the time to reply to your email and just never got around to it. I had this problem with a prof I couldn't contact when I applied last year - he had moved on to another school. I got through to him this time, and he apologized for not getting back to me last time, so it could be the person was just busy. Since they have moved to a new school - do they have a new email address and was that the one you used? You could also follow up with a phone call to just check if they got your email since you hadn't heard from them.

If you had to choose from the additional options you have, I think most places prefer letters from profs rather than grad students. Here's an idea though, why don't you get 4 people to write you letters? You could ask your strongest letter writers to write to all the places, but then share the remaining spots for letters among the other profs. That way if one of your profs takes longer than expected or isn't able to submit the letter on time (happens every year to people), you would have a 4th person who is already writing letters that you could ask to fill in.

[fuzzylogician]

It's a busy time of year, with the semester just starting. Maybe your email just got lost in the professor's inbox. Those things happen and it doesn't mean you won't get a strong letter (on time, without complicatons) from this professor. Try sending her another email before you give up. If you do decide to go choose a different recommender, do NOT choose a grad student. Go with the other professor.The only exception to this is if the letter you expect to get from the student is significantly stronger than the other letter, AND you can get the student's advisor to co-sign the letter.

Edited September 7, 2010 by fuzzylogician

[schoolpsych_hopeful]

Thanks for the ideas. Yes, this is a busy time of year. I think I'll contact my #3 once more before giving up.

The letter from the former grad student would be much stronger than my other option, and I could get her former advisor to co-sign it. The only problem is that her former advisor and my #1 letter writer are the same person. That would look weird, right?

[newms]

The letter from the former grad student would be much stronger than my other option, and I could get her former advisor to co-sign it. The only problem is that her former advisor and my #1 letter writer are the same person. That would look weird, right?

Yeah, I think it would. It would almost be like 2 recommendation letters from the same prof. I think you should ask someone other than the grad student.

[Eigen]

Thanks for the ideas. Yes, this is a busy time of year. I think I'll contact my #3 once more before giving up.

The letter from the former grad student would be much stronger than my other option, and I could get her former advisor to co-sign it. The only problem is that her former advisor and my #1 letter writer are the same person. That would look weird, right?

Just to be clear, this is a former grad student, right? Who is now in a faculty position?

If that is the case, I don't think it would be as far off as getting a current graduate student to write it. You're getting a young professor (who knew you as a graduate student) to write the letter. And having just come through the process, they are in a unique position to write a letter.

If it was me, that would be my choice.

[schoolpsych_hopeful]

Just to be clear, this is a former grad student, right? Who is now in a faculty position?

If that is the case, I don't think it would be as far off as getting a current graduate student to write it. You're getting a young professor (who knew you as a graduate student) to write the letter. And having just come through the process, they are in a unique position to write a letter.

If it was me, that would be my choice.

YES, this is a former grad student. If she was a current grad student, I wouldn't even have considered her. She just defended this summer, and is now starting as an Assistant Prof at another University.

I think I'll give my #3 a few more weeks before I ask the former grad student. Even though some might look down on the fact that she new me when she was a grad student, I know that the letter she could write would be far better than my other options.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Eigen]

Even more than your research prof, the grad student saw you regularly, work ethic, research skills, etc- and that can be quite valuable in a rec writer.

[hahahut]

Based on many schools' LOR instruction, the letter writer should be someone who understands what research entails and can comment applicant's ability in that area. So I don't see any problem with the former graduate student. She has received her PhD obviously and successfully landed an academic position. So she has mastered the skills for research and she knows one field more than anyone else in the world. Besides, as you two worked together before, I would expect her letter more vivid and personal.

[schoolpsych_hopeful]

Good news! Just heard back from my #3, and she said she'd be happy to do it! THANK god.