Class Advice

[kaister]

Okay I need some advice on what class to take my last term of school (ah!). I'm set to graduate already so this would just be a psych elective. Now...I'm interested in taking this cross-cultural development class (but it does not pertain to my ultimate research interests in grad school). However, while I do know the shows not over, I'm bracing myself for full-on rejections from my apps to grad schools this year, so I'm planning to apply again next year. The dilemma here is keeping my LORs. I'm debating taking an I/O class to keep in contact with this professor so that by the time school ends I can ask for a LOR again (he's already done one for this season's apps). I just fear that if I don't make that effort to keep in contact with him that my LOR from him won't be as strong and it's much easier maintaining that relationship rather than finding a whole new one from someone that doesn't know me. So the debate is whether I should take his I/O class (which I'm not really that interested in, the only reason I asked him for an LOR is because he was one of my research methods teacher and I was in his lab for a while) OR to take the class I'm more interested in. Both classes won't do anything for my ultimate goal which is in cognition...unfortunately there are no electives I can take this coming term that are geared that way (already taken cognitive, biopsych, etc).

Is it worth it to just take the class to keep the relationship and possibly strengthen my LOR from him? Or would it not matter since the interaction would just be in a class setting?

Advice??

[mrmedian]

A couple of questions:

Could you possibly make a good enough impression on professor who teaches the cultural/development course to ask that person for a LoR?

What other ways could you maintain contact with the I/O professor so that he might be willing to be your letter writer in the next cycle? Chances are, if he was willing to be your letter writer once, he'll be willing again (think about it, the letter is already written--just sitting on his hard drive). If you take a class you aren't interested in, your lack of interest might (or might not) affect your performance in a way that is a detriment to your LoR to him.

My recommendation: Take that class that interests you. I can see cultural/development as being more related to cog. psy. than I/O (cultural neuroscience / social-cognitive development are my research interests).

Regardless of what course you decide to take, let your I/O professor know that you plan to reapply next cycle. Again, I doubt he would refuse to be your letter writer, and he may even have some advice as to ways to improve your application.

Edited February 17, 2012 by mrmedian

[svh]

Okay I need some advice on what class to take my last term of school (ah!). I'm set to graduate already so this would just be a psych elective. Now...I'm interested in taking this cross-cultural development class (but it does not pertain to my ultimate research interests in grad school). However, while I do know the shows not over, I'm bracing myself for full-on rejections from my apps to grad schools this year, so I'm planning to apply again next year. The dilemma here is keeping my LORs. I'm debating taking an I/O class to keep in contact with this professor so that by the time school ends I can ask for a LOR again (he's already done one for this season's apps). I just fear that if I don't make that effort to keep in contact with him that my LOR from him won't be as strong and it's much easier maintaining that relationship rather than finding a whole new one from someone that doesn't know me. So the debate is whether I should take his I/O class (which I'm not really that interested in, the only reason I asked him for an LOR is because he was one of my research methods teacher and I was in his lab for a while) OR to take the class I'm more interested in. Both classes won't do anything for my ultimate goal which is in cognition...unfortunately there are no electives I can take this coming term that are geared that way (already taken cognitive, biopsych, etc).

Is it worth it to just take the class to keep the relationship and possibly strengthen my LOR from him? Or would it not matter since the interaction would just be in a class setting?

Advice??

Can you continue participating in his lab? A better letter will come out of working with someone on research. It seems like I/O is also applicable to cognition. I suppose it depends on what aspect of cognition you're interested in.