LOR for Peace Corps Volunteer??

[rocheal]

I am applying to a MBA/MPP program and cant decide who would be the best for my LOR. Who do you think?

1)The Country Director of the country I am currently serving in. The Country Director overseas the entire post. She graduated from the same school I am applying do but with a different degree.

2)My undergrad business Professor. I traveled abroad 3 times with him and helped lead classes overseas.

3)A math Professor from Duke I have helped throw 2 summer camps in the country I am serving in and this summer I am leading a camp for him. He has seen my leadership capabilities etc.

4)My Peace Corps manager. He overseas my sector and has helped with the oversight of my project. He graduated from London School of Economics.

5)My Counterpart. I work daily with him on my Project and spend a lot of time with his family. I am hesitant because I know he is not the most proficient writer and I am worried how admissions would take that into account.

Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Alexander Roche

[bgreenster]

I am also a PCV, and I'm having my program manager write my recommendation. I think a lot of it comes down to who you are the most familiar with, and who you think can write the most personal and effective letter. Every CD is different, and while I have had many talks with mine and feel close to her, I don't have the same connection with her because I interact more with my manager.

Are you choosing just one from these options? Also, are you only applying to the one school? I assume you are a CED volunteer? I'm TEFL, which is a whole other world compared to the work CEDs do. I certainly can't imagine having one of my counterparts write a LOR, although I know this isn't the case for some of our CED volunteers' counterparts

Based on what you wrote, I would be tempted to go with the dude who you helped with the camps. I think that this guy can understand both the academic side of things, since he's a professor, but he has also seen you in action. I think with an MBA/MPP degree, this would be important since it's more real world-based than other degrees.

Again, I'm just an applicant, so this may be a case of blind leading the blind!

[LCAlum]

I am applying to a MBA/MPP program and cant decide who would be the best for my LOR. Who do you think?

1)The Country Director of the country I am currently serving in. The Country Director overseas the entire post. She graduated from the same school I am applying do but with a different degree.

2)My undergrad business Professor. I traveled abroad 3 times with him and helped lead classes overseas.

3)A math Professor from Duke I have helped throw 2 summer camps in the country I am serving in and this summer I am leading a camp for him. He has seen my leadership capabilities etc.

4)My Peace Corps manager. He overseas my sector and has helped with the oversight of my project. He graduated from London School of Economics.

5)My Counterpart. I work daily with him on my Project and spend a lot of time with his family. I am hesitant because I know he is not the most proficient writer and I am worried how admissions would take that into account.

Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Alexander Roche

I think you can't go wrong with the country director and one of your undergrad professors. I just went through the grad school application process last fall/winter as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana and I used my CD and two undergrad professors (I'm starting this fall, and COSing from PC in about two weeks). Do the programs you're applying to state where they would prefer the recommendations to be from? For the MA programs I applied to, most wanted two undergrad professors in addition to a work supervisor. I don't know how much the CD being an alum from the school you're applying to would count, since he/she graduated with a different degree, but it's probably a better bet than the manager (I'm assuming APCD?). If you feel significantly closer with the manager than I would go with him, otherwise I'd stick with the CD. Just out of curiosity, what country are you in?