LOR from a coworker?

[kateausten]

You can read a bit about my LOR saga here: but long story short, I have a dearth of recommenders due to circumstances that are somewhat my fault and somewhat not (I did screw up majorly one semester of college -- but I did redeem myself and secure three professors who knew me and had high opinions of me, and unfortunately two of them passed away). I was also a transfer student from a huge to tiny school, so I had two years of classes from professors who I never even spoke to personally and then two years of classes mostly with the same professors.

I have ideas for two of the three letters, though I still have to send the email and see if they respond and accept. For the third, I was thinking of asking a past coworker. Is this a horrible idea? I'm not in a field related to what I want to study but everyone at my last place of employment would have good things to say about my research skills, critical thinking, written communication, work ethic, and other relevant abilities. My boss there was not the smartest woman, didn't hold a professional position before that company, and never went to college -- not that smart people always go to college and work in offices, but with these factors combined, I just don't trust her to know what to write in an academic LOR, or for that matter, write one with no grammar or spelling mistakes. I have coworkers, however, who are much savvier and could write great things about all the relevant skills I listed above. It's my best shot at a strong third recommendation and probably my only shot at a third person who could recommend me without reservations. I also recently left the company on good terms so I have nothing to worry about regarding coworkers finding out I may leave soon.

My academic alternatives are basically professors whose classes I did only okay in. I could ask my thesis/capstone supervisor, but that was a group project and I had some health issues that kept me out a bit that semester plus some schedule issues with my group (they had all their classes together and I had a different schedule, so they'd do a lot of the work together and meet with the professor without me, which wasn't my fault but still made me look uninvolved in the project). I did okay and wasn't a massive failure or anything, and she definitely knows about the circumstances with my other professors who died, but I certainly didn't stand out as impressive amongst the other students. I could also contact one of the professors who barely even knew my name when I was in their classes, but whose classes did involve discussion and written papers, but that I got a B in. I worry that either of them would ask around about me, and the professors who I made a great impression on have mostly died or left the school, but many whose classes I screwed up in are still around.

So basically, the coworker recommendation would simply be the best I could get. Is this such a red flag for adcoms that I should pursue an academic recommendation that might be lukewarm instead? For what it's worth, I'm applying to a professional program (translation).

[TheFez]

I think a letter from a co-worker would have very little value and might just cause more problems than it solves. My opinion.

The 3-letter standard is not a fluke - it is designed to separate those who have a record of doing research, and independent work from those who just go through the paces, attending class and even getting good grades - but without distinguishing themselves.

LORs from academics adhere to a unwritten policy of candor, and expressing opinion on your ability to succeed in a graduate program (not just on your abilities).

[kateausten]

Thanks for the advice. I took over half of my junior and senior classes (and most of my major classes) from these two professors, one was my advisor and I TAed for the other, so it's not like I never distinguished myself. I didn't make an effort to be the shining star of every single class, and I took multiple classes with the professors I really liked (those two and one other). With a couple of bridges burned during a bad semester and then a stroke of tragedy I was left with a couple of professors I know I impressed and a few to whom I was just another decent student. So, I don't think my situation means that I'm too flaky or not capable enough for graduate school or anything, especially a professional program. Under different circumstances my LORs would have been a strong point of my application. However, I will keep your words in mind in terms of how an adcom might see such a recommendation.

[fuzzylogician]

Common wisdom is that if you have two strong letters, it's ok if the third is not as good. If you can get a letter from an academic, even if it's a professor you only took some classes with, it sounds like a better solution than having a co-worker write you a letter. I think I'd go with your thesis supervisor. As a backup, many programs will allow you to go over the limit and submit a 4th letter. In that case, maybe you could have a professional letter as well, especially since you're applying to a professional program. I understand that your supervisor there wasn't the best person to ask for a letter, but I'm sure you understand that having a letter coming from a supervisor is much more influential than one from a co-worker (which is like having a friend recommend you). Is there no way of getting someone is some position of authority to write the letter? Or else, have an agreement with your boss that you write the letter and she signs it?

[kateausten]

Is there no way of getting someone is some position of authority to write the letter? Or else, have an agreement with your boss that you write the letter and she signs it?

Another of the complications is that I managed to leave the company on good terms with my boss and the owner by emphasizing that it wasn't personal and I was leaving for a career more in line with what I wanted to do, so if I go back a month later asking for a LOR for grad school in something unrelated to that, it sort of reveals that I was leaving just to leave, and I'm not sure how that would change the relationship. There was so much dissatisfaction with management that we were openly trading job leads and serving as references for each other, so the non-manager coworkers wouldn't hold this against me; the only ones that are still there are just afraid or unable to leave. Six months from now I would feel okay asking the owner, or my boss if I could write the letter, but it has only been a few weeks so it feels too soon.

I will email my thesis supervisor I guess to introduce my plans and ask if she would be comfortable writing the letter. It's a tiny department so she would definitely know about my situation with the two other professors.