Hard time finding three LORs! (non-traditional student)

[KineticKid]

Hi.

I'm a non-traditional student applying to grad school in physics (by non-traditional, I mean that I graduated from college years ago, worked a few years, then returned to school to get my bachelor's in physics. I got my physics degree in 2006).

I graduated with my BS and married a newly-minted physics PhD shortly thereafter (he was the theorist in our lab...how dorky is that?). For pragmatic reasons, I waited to see where he would do his post doc before I made my decision regarding where to apply to grad school (he didn't get his offers until after grad school apps were due). We moved to California for his post doc; not too long after that I found out I was pregnant (I was 29).

Since childcare is prohibitively expensive here ($1,500 and up per month), especially on a post doc or grad student salary, we made the very pragmatic decision that I would do the stay-at-home mom thing--taking courses when I could, etc.--and then apply to grad school when our kid was old enough for preschool...

Which is now.

My issue is that I'm having a very hard time getting three LORs. The prof with whom I did my senior project is now at a university in Europe and impossible to get in touch with. Another professor, with whom I had done significant research, RETIRED and has been traveling (keep in mind, nearly 5 years have elapsed since I was an undergrad). I could try to finagle a letter out of one or two other folks that I had good relationships with, but it might be a stretch to get GOOD letters from them, if you know what I mean, since I didn't really do any research with them.

That said, I know I will get a phenomenal letter from a local prof with whom I've been doing research this past year. This is the one good letter I can count on.

I could also get a stellar letter from a former employer--a non-science job, though--but I don't know how well that would sit with admissions committees. What do you think? It would seem to me that two great letters, even if one is a non-scientist, would be better than just one great letter and two ho-hum ones.

In case you're wondering, I only did so-so as an undergrad (3.5+ overall GPA, 3.75 Upper Division GPA, 1570/1600 General GRE scores with 5.0 essay writing score, 730 Physics GRE), so I really, really need good letters in order to compensate for my relatively low GPA and physics GRE score.

Thanks in advance!

Edited October 26, 2010 by KineticKid

[UnlikelyGrad]

I was in your situation a couple of years ago, except my undergrad GPA was lower and it had been 3x as many years. I took a couple of classes at a local school to get the LoRs I needed. The Cal State system offers "Open University" in which you can enroll in any open class (assuming you have the prerequisites). It was pricey--I paid over $200/unit for lecture classes, and it was almost $300/unit for my lab class--but I figured that was the price of getting an academic LoR.

I ended up getting one good, one stellar LoR out of those classes. Totally worth it!

[KineticKid]

I was in your situation a couple of years ago, except my undergrad GPA was lower and it had been 3x as many years. I took a couple of classes at a local school to get the LoRs I needed. The Cal State system offers "Open University" in which you can enroll in any open class (assuming you have the prerequisites). It was pricey--I paid over $200/unit for lecture classes, and it was almost $300/unit for my lab class--but I figured that was the price of getting an academic LoR.

I ended up getting one good, one stellar LoR out of those classes. Totally worth it!

Thanks for your response. I've looked into Open University at CSUN--mostly because I know a math prof there--but I really, really don't want to put off applying to grad school any longer. I certainly don't want to wait another year or two, especially since I've now spent the past 4+ years out of school. At this rate, I'll be super lucky to finish my PhD before I'm 40.

In addition, babysitting costs $15/hour. Factoring in commute time--I live in West L.A., not the Valley--and it would cost me over $150/week in babysitting just to take one 3-unit course. Oh, and we'd have to get a second car and pay for the gas to drive all the way up there. As I was saying before, we're living on just my husband's meager post doc salary--in Los Angeles, no less!--so taking courses is expensive, even though the tuition itself may be cheap.

Edited October 26, 2010 by KineticKid

[emmm]

No suggestions, I'm afraid. I did what UnlikelyGrad did and took classes at a local CC. I'd been out of school for over 10 years -- homeschooling 3 kids.

It was great just being in a learning environment again, and my relationship with the instructors was certainly different from when I was in school before,

given that, generally, I am now much closer in age to them than to my fellow students.

I even got offered a part-time teaching job at the CC, which has been fun.

My GREs were similar to yours 770 Q & V and 6 AW. Moms are no slackers!

Good luck -- it will be interesting to see how things work out for the non-trads.

[KineticKid]

Moms are no slackers!

I'll agree with you there!

[dantete]

finished by 40? i'm applying to phd english lit. programs at 41. and i'm having the same problem securing a third rec letter. i feel pretty good abnout the two i have but after being out of grad school for 15 years, and college for almost 20, i doubt even my thesis advisors would remember me. at least none of them have responded to my e-mails. i'm trying to figure out what to do. my first deadline is dec. 3, and i'd hate to automatically get blown out of the water due to one LOR too few. ( i was laid off in 11/08 and couldn't find FT work until this past summer so taking courses, even at a community college, was out of the question.)

[Mocha001]

I am on the same boat. I was out of school for 4 years and I finally found three faculty members, But one of them does not seem dependable. So I have to ask my boss at work to write it.

I have been working with him and he agrees to write it for me. Two of my programs will be fine with the letter from my boss. Since they are programs at state university, but one program is

more research oriented MA/PhD combined program, so I do not think my boss's letter won't be so strong.