LOR from unrelated field?

[VulpesZerda]

I'm trying to decide who my LORs writers will be for this fall. I am applying to PhD programs for Social Psychology. I have two professors in mind, but there are only four full-time psychology faculty at my college, so my third will come from an external research experience.

My first research experience was of high interest to me and the PI teaches at a school I am applying to (in the psychiatry department). This position ended in January. I did a lot for them, and enjoyed it. Then, an affiliated lab needed a new research student, so I moved to this next position...

...with a very well-known endocrinologist. Random, I know. The work I'm helping him with has nothing to do with my research interests, but he is an internationally recognized expert in his area. I've been told by the fellows I work with that he can call a medical school and demand they accept someone. I'm not applying to medical school and this sounds like an exaggeration, but I'm trying to get across just how big this guy is. Something tells me it would be a bad idea not to ask him, but then again, I don't know how an endocrinologist can help me with my psych applications.

I'm not sure which of these two potential LORs would benefit me more. Any input?

[hj2012]

This may not be possible for your field, but some schools I applied to allowed for a fourth LOR. If that isn't an option, I would go with the PI in your field.

[VulpesZerda]

This may not be possible for your field, but some schools I applied to allowed for a fourth LOR. If that isn't an option, I would go with the PI in your field.

Thanks for the reply!

[personalityresearcher]

Psyc adcoms tend to prefer LORs from tenured psychology profs. That said, it's best that your LORs be strong and specific - a general LOR from a psych prof won't be better then a strong one from the endocrinologist. But the psyc adcoms won't know (or care) that the endocrinologist is a big name (unless his work ties into something you're applying for - e.g., health psych stuff - and they recognize the name).

Edited April 16, 2014 by personalityresearcher

[VulpesZerda]

Psyc adcoms tend to prefer LORs from tenured psychology profs. That said, it's best that your LORs be strong and specific - a general LOR from a psych prof won't be better then a strong one from the endocrinologist. But the psyc adcoms won't know (or care) that the endocrinologist is a big name (unless his work ties into something you're applying for - e.g., health psych stuff - and they recognize the name).

Okay, that's helpful, thanks! My university is a very tiny teaching school, so there's not much name recognition. Hoping that doesn't hurt my chances too much...

I actually am applying to health psych programs but I doubt any of his work will be recognized within my area because he does mostly basic research. Thanks again!

[personalityresearcher]

Okay, that's helpful, thanks! My university is a very tiny teaching school, so there's not much name recognition. Hoping that doesn't hurt my chances too much...

I actually am applying to health psych programs but I doubt any of his work will be recognized within my area because he does mostly basic research. Thanks again!

It doesn't matter if the psychology profs have a big name. But, you said you go to a small teaching school - is there research going on (i.e. do your profs have labs?)? If not, I'd get research experience in psychology labs at another university ASAP. You don't have to attend the university to work or volunteer in the lab.

It's good you have research experience and, if it's health psychology and your skills (e.g. processing assay samples) is useful to their research, perhaps it'd be looked at as a plus. That said, there's still going to be a preference for those who have had long-term experience working or volunteering in a psychology lab.

[VulpesZerda]

It doesn't matter if the psychology profs have a big name. But, you said you go to a small teaching school - is there research going on (i.e. do your profs have labs?)? If not, I'd get research experience in psychology labs at another university ASAP. You don't have to attend the university to work or volunteer in the lab.

It's good you have research experience and, if it's health psychology and your skills (e.g. processing assay samples) is useful to their research, perhaps it'd be looked at as a plus. That said, there's still going to be a preference for those who have had long-term experience working or volunteering in a psychology lab.

Yes, there are basically two psych labs here. One is experimental and the other is clinical. I've been helping out in the experimental lab on and off as needed since fall 2012. Not much comes out of it but two grad students listed me as authors on posters. I am collecting my data for my senior thesis in this lab as well.

With my two external experiences, I have gained skills such as data management, interviewing, and neurocognitive testing. They're affiliated with a university (an excellent one!) but they're at completely offsite locations. It's really hard for me to find experience at my school so I think I'm lucky that I found these labs!

Thanks for your help. I basically rely on gradcafe to find out what I need to do since no one at my school ever applies to grad school lol

[personalityresearcher]

That's great - two years psyc labs, honors thesis, plus the med school labs!

I definitely understand - I went to that type of small college, too.

My best sources of advice when I applied were my advisor and The Insiders Guide to Clinical and Counseling Psychology Graduate Programs - although I applied to social-personality, the advice in that book was extremely helpful and applicable across all subfields of psychology. I highly recommend it, plus the APA's Graduate Guide to Psychology (yearly publication of admissions stats), if you don't have them already.

[HKsai]

That's great - two years psyc labs, honors thesis, plus the med school labs!

I definitely understand - I went to that type of small college, too.

My best sources of advice when I applied were my advisor and The Insiders Guide to Clinical and Counseling Psychology Graduate Programs - although I applied to social-personality, the advice in that book was extremely helpful and applicable across all subfields of psychology. I highly recommend it, plus the APA's Graduate Guide to Psychology (yearly publication of admissions stats), if you don't have them already.

I second this! Although I ended up not applying to phd programs but both books are extremely informative.

[VulpesZerda]

That's great - two years psyc labs, honors thesis, plus the med school labs!

I definitely understand - I went to that type of small college, too.

My best sources of advice when I applied were my advisor and The Insiders Guide to Clinical and Counseling Psychology Graduate Programs - although I applied to social-personality, the advice in that book was extremely helpful and applicable across all subfields of psychology. I highly recommend it, plus the APA's Graduate Guide to Psychology (yearly publication of admissions stats), if you don't have them already.

I have both of those! I got the Insider's Guide my freshman year and am glad I did. I want to get a more recent version of the Graduate Guide whenever that comes out with this cycle's data. I've been told I could get it online, but I prefer to attack it with sticky notes haha.