Need some opinions! Replace LOR from only professor?

[deekay25]

Hi, I am a bit new to this site. I have been going through it for awhile, so decided to give it a try.

 

I need a bit of advice on LOR. I am applying for masters in higher education/student affairs. I have 3 recommenders already 2 of them being from my supervisor when I worked in Financial Aid. Another is from a counselor from Financial aid. The last is from a professor from my major I graduated in. I was rather shy in my undergrad so I didn't really get close to my professors. So I wasn't able to find another professor. But anyways on to my question...

 

The two people from Financial Aid know me pretty well and obviously could speak about my ability in working in student affairs, considering I already have. The professor on the other hand doesn't really know me, other than from information I gave her. Now last year we had a grad student in the financial aid office, that got to know me well. She has recently graduated from the program I am applying to. She's currently working in Financial Aid at a different college.

 

I was thinking would it be a good idea to have her as a recommender? Either I replace the professor with her, or replace her with the counselor of financial aid (not my old boss). What do you think?

[Quant_Liz_Lemon]

Don't replace your prof recommendation!

[deekay25]

Don't replace your prof recommendation!

 

Even if the letter might be generic?

 

Should I use the person that graduated from the same program I'm applying to and was my coworker as another recommendation though?

[Quant_Liz_Lemon]

You should have a prof write a letter as they are more qualified to comment on your ability to do graduate level work.

 

An alumn won't be able to influence the admission committee.

[hopeful80]

I am kind of in a similar situation to you. Many of my recommenders weren't coming through (being incredibly flaky, not responding to emails, etc.) so I had to look elsewhere desperately, as deadlines are coming up. I ended up contacting an old professor whose class I got in A in - unfortunately she did not know me very well (I was shy too!) She told me, flat out, that she would do all she could, but it would help to find someone who knows me better.

 

It's kind of tricky, but here's what I would do: take the professor's recommendation over the grad student's, but another supervisor/professor's over the professor's. I was told it reflects poorly if you get a graduate student to speak on your behalf - in a way, they don't necessarily have the qualifications (yet) to praise yours. It's almost the equivalent of asking a peer, which is a major no-no.

 

If there's any possible way, find someone who knows you better who is still qualified - even if they don't necessarily have as much "prestige" as you desire. Although this was a last resort, I ended up going with a former director/mentor of a leadership camp I attended. He knows me well and I know he will write a very strong recommendation. A glowing rec from someone who may not be as "high up" trumps above a flat, neutral, lackluster rec from someone more influential, IMO.

 

Just my two cents though! Good luck.

[iowaguy]

IMHO, if you submit 3 LOR's and none are from a professor, that's going to raise a red flag with the admissions committee...

[CarlieE]

IMHO, if you submit 3 LOR's and none are from a professor, that's going to raise a red flag with the admissions committee...

 

I agree. You're applying for a Master's program so you have to show that you're going to be a good student, not just a hard worker. While your supervisors and coworkers might know you better, they can't speak to your academic abilities. LORs for grad school aren't only about your personality or your moral character, they also are meant to give the school an indication of if you can do the academic workload, if you can finish the program, if you can write, if you can absorb theory and apply it and perhaps - this may not apply to you specifically since you're doing an MA - if you have a research goal/topic and good enough writing ability to get grants and funding.

 

Your academic recommenders, being professors, have a certain kind of credibility with the admittance committee since they are professors too; being part of the same profession, if your professorial recommender says "Yes, this student was excellent!" then the committee can trust that your professor is speaking as an individual who has experienced BAD students. 

 

IMO having only one professor as a recommender might not be a good idea; can you have a fourth and make it 2 professors and 2 non-academic recommenders? 

[slaNYC]

I could be wrong but the master's program the original poster is applying to seems to be a professional program.  While having an academic letter of recommendation is ALWAYS best, it might not be quite as necessary for professional programs. I applied to my master's program with letters of recommendation from a Senator and my boss at the time (the president of a national advocacy organization). It was a policy program so those letters had credibility. Clearly they were sufficient as I was admitted.  However, when I applied to my PhD program I submitted three faculty recommendations.  All that is to say the importance/significance of professors writing letters of recommendation may depend not only on the degree (masters vs. PhD) but also the field (professional vs. academic).  

 

I understand the difficulty with having professors write you letters when they don't know you well.  There is a very real concern that such a letter would essentially be damning you with faint praise.  However, I wouldn't use a graduate of the program either. There is no way to assess if that person was liked or respected by the faculty of the program. 

 

Good luck finding another appropriate letter writer.  Hopefully the other aspects of your application will be strong and will make up for any perceived or real deficiencies with your letters of recommendation.