Honest talk about references.

[Macrina]

Ok, so I'm planning for an application run next year. I have what I believe will be a stellar reference from my main POI at my current institution. He came right out and told me that he would like to have me as a doctoral student (I didn't ask) and has been incredibly helpful.

My next reference is good, but not quite as stellar. I'm doing well in the class but just don't have the same connection that I do with academic #1. And I don't feel I know her/am known by her quite as well as with # 1.

Is that a problem? Do all of my references need to be beyond outstanding? Or is it more typical to have one or two of the truly exceptional variety, mixed in with one or two strong positives?

If you've been admitted to a doctoral program, how strong were your references? Assuming they were all very very good, did you have one or two stronger than the others? Or were they all truly excellent?

Just wondering if I need to rethink my strategy or not...

[marXian]

It's always hard to know exactly what the letters say since we don't ever see them (at least, we're not supposed to.)

 

You're definitely on the right track in terms of your thinking. You want your recommenders to know who you are beyond just what grade you got in their class. I suggest trying to meet with the profs you want to solicit letters from during their office hours to talk about PhD programs, your interests, etc.

 

Above all you want your letters to be able to speak to your potential as a future scholar in a very detailed and expansive way. The more it seems like the prof really knows you, the better. When I was applying, I was able to set up two letters at my seminary, but I had a lot of trouble tracking down a third. I ended up going with a prof from my English MA who sat on my thesis committee. He and I had a really good professional relationship, so I knew he'd write a great letter. Since he was outside of the field, I asked him to speak to my writing abilities and my ability to analyze texts. I don't know if that letter hurt me anywhere--maybe it did. But I was admitted to two programs, so in some ways it seems to have been the right choice.

 

As long as you make the effort to secure letters from profs who know you beyond just how much you said in their class and the 'A' that you earned, I think you can feel pretty confident.