LORs and applying to different departments

[Gvh]

Hi All,

 

This is quite a silly question, but I thought I'd put it out there anyway; I'll be applying mostly to psychology PhD programs, but the departments will vary depending on the POI. More specifically, while a couple of the departments I'm applying to are obviously Psychology departments, I am also interested in POIs in the cognitive science, neuroscience, education, etc. 

 

I am assuming LOR writers typically start off with something like "I am writing in support of Ms. X's application to the PhD program in Y department". If applying to different departments, do you simply ask the LOR writers to have "different" letters for each department? Or is there a more general way to go about this?

 

I can just imagine a psychology LOR writer of mine rolling their eyes: "Wait, you're applying to the communication department??"

 

Ugh. First-world grad application problems :/

[TakeruK]

When I asked my letter writers to write LORs for me, I gave them a summary sheet that listed the school name, the department name, the deadline and the names of the profs I was interested in there. I also applied to different departments at different schools but not two or more departments at the same school. In my field, one would expect the letter writer to basically write the same letter for each school, and just change the school name/department. Maybe one or two letters might be especially personalized due to the letter writer's connection to the school. This is what we students are expected to do on our SOPs too.

 

I think a LOR that accidentally states the name of the wrong school or department won't be that bad. After all, the profs on the committee write LORs all the time too and probably make the same oversight once in a while.

[Gvh]

Summary sheets are probably a wise idea. Yeah, I won't be applying to more than 1 department in each school, I am just a little worried my LORs (especially 1 in particular who I am a little less close with) will think I am scatter-brained and lack direction. I suppose if I clarify my reasoning to apply to different departments that would be okay.  Thanks for the tip!

[bsharpe269]

I think this is normal... I'm applying to some computational bio, some biophysics, etc. It's not bc I don't know what I want to do...it's because I know exactly what I want to do and I'm applying based on research, not department name.

I think this is normal and a professor wouldnt even think twice about it. If them seem confused then just explain.

[TakeruK]

My two departments were very similar to each other and my actual research interest is sometimes in Astronomy (or Physics) and sometimes in Planetary Science. 

 

But, at the top of my summary page, I also included a short 3 sentence paragraph that summarizes my research interests and what I want to get out of a PhD program. This was just a super condensed version of the relevant section of my SOP so that it's clear to my LOR writers what my goals are and gives them guidance on what I would like them to speak about. I also did this because I think it's helpful to have the LORs reinforce what I said in my SOP (some writers wanted my SOPs as well and I was using this brief summary as a placeholder for them until I got a polished SOP closer to the deadline).

 

If you are pursuing fields that are further separated, you could consider writing a 2-3 sentence summary of your goals/interests for each major field you are applying to.

[vicky25]

I was facing problems as well with the LOR do people accept recommendations from employers I have been away from college for last 8 years.

[xolo]

great thread.  vicky25, I'm not sure about that.  I've been wondering about that too.  In my case, I love my chosen field, so having been out in the workforce for years, I went back and racked up a couple years of part time relevant courses.  I don't know if that idea will help you are not, whether you can do that.  For me, it has also allowed me the wonderful opportunity to know current professors in the field and I will be asking them for LOR.  One in particular really warmed to my academic work and I think she will give be a good LOR.