LOR From an Instructor/PhD Student

[xypathos]

So, I'm caught in a rather peculiar situation with a prospective LOR source. At my school, a PhD (ABD stage) student from a nearby university was independently teaching a cross registered course on Existentialism (PHIL and RELS departments) which I took and did exceptionally well in. My final paper for the course I adapted into an oral presentation for a local, regional conference and a further refined version was accepted for publication in a student-centered journal. I took the course in the Spring partially b/c at the end of the Fall Semester my father committed suicide and what better way to jump into those emotions surrounding that event than to discuss Nietzsche, Camus, Kirkegaard, et al., right?

 

Anyway, my experience in that course on an academic level and the relationship I established with the professor have brought both of us really close. I also feel that as an academic reference, given my success in the class that he's one of my strongest LOR sources. However the million dollar question still remains - how will his ABD status reflect on me if I use him as a LOR? I haven't asked him for a LOR (yet) but he has confirmed to me that he won't have his dissertation finished before I apply.

 

Some of the programs I'm looking to apply to want 4-5 LOR, and coming into the school as a transfer student with several years off from my previous school, I'm stuck in a rough spot when it comes to LOR sources.

 

Ideas?

 

EDIT: I'm applying to MDiv programs if that affects anything.

Edited August 2, 2013 by xypathos

[sacklunch]

For MDiv programs I think it's fine. 

[AbrasaxEos]

Yes, for an MDiv program that should be fine, as long as you have one or two from actual profs.  A number of MDiv programs also ask for recommendations from pastors or other non-PhD bearing persons, so especially for those that want 4 or 5 letters, I am sure that one from an ABD won't be a problem.

[jeffster]

On a side note, sorry about your father; glad you were able to (apparently) turn at least a little bit of it into something constructive.

 

Good luck.