Is it okay to get an LOR from a Prof who gave you a 'B' ?

[ahmadka]

Hi guys .. Another LOR question ..

 

I took this course during my previous Masters, and the Prof gave me a 'B' .. However, I feel that the course has really had an impact on me the way I think of designs and interactions now .. It was truly one of the most influential courses I've ever studied, so I personally would really want if I can get an LOR from this Prof ... HOWEVER, I don't want to do it if it can have any negative impact somewhere down the line .. I mean the Prof might write a 'B' grad LOR, of the reader (admission committee) might view it negatively (applying to a few top grad universities too), etc ...

 

I have a decent amount of other Professors from whom I got an 'A', and I have no problem contacting them instead .. But most of those 'A' grades didn't teach me as much as this 'B' grade did ..

 

So need honest opinions regarding this dilemma ..

[biisis]

Yeah, I think you're suspicions are accurate. The prof's impact on you is not what's under scrutiny in the LOR, so much as your impact on the prof.

 

Pick a writer who is familiar with the full extent of your abilities as a student. These might be the professors who gave you As; it might even be the Bs or Cs professors, but they have to be able to enthusiastically endorse you as one of their best students overall. It's okay to ask them in advance, "do you feel well enough acquainted with my skills to write a strong letter of reference?" and this will give them an out if they don't think you're that great or barely remember you.

 

Good luck!

[lyrehc]

My mentor from my undergrad wrote letters for both my MS and PhD programs and he gave me a B-. I think the actual grade is less important than the relationship I have with him and how equipped he is to assess my capability as a student. And, since I got into the programs I applied to I don't think it hurt anything.

[ahmadka]

So I should email him, but also politely ask how he thought of me ? ... Yeah I guess this gives him a way out if he wants, but I doubt he'll personally recall me because he must have taught another 200 - 300 students since then.

 

Also, assuming he writes a positive LOR despite the 'B' grade, will the university that I'm applying to take it negatively, that I had to ask a professor for an LOR who had given me a 'B' ? It may give the impression that I was so 'limited' in who to ask for an LOR, that I had to ask a Prof who had given me a 'B' ... They can probably figure this out too (that the LOR is from a Prof who gave me a 'B') by making a few calls, even if the LOR doesn't mention the 'B' explicitly, which it might.

[bsharpe269]

You definitely shouldnt ask a professor who doesnt remember you. The grade you got in a class is completely irrelevent. it also doesnt matter if you were inspired by their classes. You should ask professors who know you really well to write you letters. If a professor doesnt know who you are even then they can basically write only a one line letter stating that you took a class with a them. You want letters that can discuss in detail what qualities you have that set you apart from the rest of the applicants and cite specific examples where you showed these qualities. I hope that helps!

[lyrehc]

You need someone to remember you.

 

The school may not realize what grade you got, or even care. The question is your capability and how someone assesses your ability to be successful in their program.  Some professors grade really hard - they have no way to know. Or you might have gotten 89.9% instead of 90.0%. The letter grade changes but you (along with your abilities) are more of a constant - although people evolve so that isn't 100% correct.

[ahmadka]

 

You definitely shouldnt ask a professor who doesnt remember you. The grade you got in a class is completely irrelevent. it also doesnt matter if you were inspired by their classes. You should ask professors who know you really well to write you letters. If a professor doesnt know who you are even then they can basically write only a one line letter stating that you took a class with a them. You want letters that can discuss in detail what qualities you have that set you apart from the rest of the applicants and cite specific examples where you showed these qualities. I hope that helps!

 

 

You need someone to remember you.

 

The school may not realize what grade you got, or even care. The question is your capability and how someone assesses your ability to be successful in their program.  Some professors grade really hard - they have no way to know. Or you might have gotten 89.9% instead of 90.0%. The letter grade changes but you (along with your abilities) are more of a constant - although people evolve so that isn't 100% correct.

 

I agree, but when you're a Professor and you're teaching students day in and day out for years at end, how are you supposed to remember each and every student you taught, and what their capabilities were ? I don't think this is possible for them. Yes, they will most probably remember you if you worked with them in some research or something, but I doubt otherwise.

 

I didn't do any research, so I don't have such a professor to ask unfortunately

 

How do I check whether a coursework professor remembers me or not ? ... Do I plainly ask them if they remember me from their course ?

Edited October 20, 2014 by ahmadka

[lyrehc]

Don't you have anyone who you visited with in office hours?  Someone you spent time with? Someone who taught a class of >30 who you did well in?  

[ahmadka]

Well I must have talked with all the Profs regarding project, assignment, etc., but I don't think that's enough to make someone retain you in memory .. You probably need longer social exposure, which doesn't really come unless you're doing some research with them, etc ..

 

The alternate would be to just get all 3 LORs from my undergrad Profs, who are in my locality and who I can go meet, etc. ... But then the reader might wonder why did I not get a single LOR done from my more recent Masters program Profs .. They might think something's fishy ..

 

Wish I could figure this out

Edited October 20, 2014 by ahmadka

[lyrehc]

I don't have any further advice, but I hope you can figure this out.

[ahmadka]

So would it be a good idea to just get all 3 LORs from my undergrad Profs, instead of any Masters Profs ? ... The former are in my locality, so if I meet them, I'm sure they'll remember me.

 

If I do this, can it be taken negatively that none of the LORs were from my Masters, or from a job (I have 3 years work experience) ?