Letter of Reccs...CSD Faculty or Out of Field Writers?

[SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid]

Hello, I know there are a lot of threads about letter of recommendations, but I am curious to know where everyone else sought out their letters. I will start by giving some context on why I ask:

 

I am an out-of-field SLP applicant currently in my post-bacc year. I have a B.S. in psychology and a biology minor with related experiences such as research assistantships, teaching assistantships, neuropsychological assessment internship, inpatient rehab volunteer, officer of an honor society and psychology club, work with special needs populations, and more things I wont bore you with. 

 

Here is my dilemma that is starting to haunt me as application due dates near:

 

I am applying to six programs which are friendly toward post-bacc students. While speaking with my advisor/professor, she told me I need to have at least two of my letter of recommendations from CSD faculty in order to be looked at by programs. Also, she is on the admission panel at the school I'm doing my post-bacc at so I figure she knows what she's talking about.

 

Considering this is my first semester at this institution completing CSD coursework, this seems like a bad idea to have two professors who barely know who I am write the ever important Letter of Recommendations. My advisor/professor really likes me and offered to write one of them, so that left me with one more CSD professor to scope out. I eventually asked my Phonetics professor (who I have never really spoken to, but I got 98% in the class) if she would be comfortable writing it for me and she agreed. I have no idea how she can answer the rating forms about me considering she doesn't really know me, and this is a scary thought.

 

I did provide my letter writers with a binder with my CV, transcript, GRE, a writing sample, personal statement etc. so they could get a better picture of who I am as well. 

 

My third letter writer was a psychology professor who wrote me an outstanding letter addressing my research, teaching, coursework, attitude, and all of that good stuff since he knew me very well. I also have another psychology professor who really wanted to write me a letter and could address me well on every level, but I declined her offer since I needed two CSD. 

 

So....Is it really a necessity that both letter writers be CSD faculty? I feel like it does an injustice to myself by having two CSD professors who barely know me rate me on every level when there are other out of field professors who can really talk me up, per se. At this point it is too late for me to change letter writers so I'm in it for the long haul. 

 

Is anyone else in this dilemma, or has anyone else been accepted to programs without 2 CSD reccs?

 

Sorry this is so long! I hope you still have a pulse at this point. Any input is welcomed

 

 

[eragon]

If you can, submit four recommendation letters to the university. That way you will be in a better position.

[NWGirl24]

I would definitely go with the strongest recs you can. I was a post-bac too, and was in the same dilemma you're in now. I chose to have my letters written by professors who knew me really well in undergrad (I majored in English) and my work supervisor (from a related field), and I was accepted to several grad programs.  I did not have a single letter written by CSD faculty.  One of the members of the admissions committee at my post-bac institution even told me it was better to have non CSD professors write really strong recs than have CSD professors write so-so recs. So it is possible!

[jpiccolo]

As far as your concern about professors not really knowing you, my COMD professors that I asked don't know me well. Several have been a year or more since I was in their classes. But they were willing and asked for my resume, grades, etc, so I'm not worried. I'm also having an SLP submit one who knows me best. I know one university told me they wanted 3 faculty professors because they were only concerned about my academic performance so at least your phonetics professor can mention how well you did. 

[SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid]

Thanks for the input! I asked the programs I'm applying to if they would look at a fourth letter and they said they likely wouldn't due to the volume of applications etc. I am hoping my CV and other materials I gave my professor helped her do the letters as well. I felt like I kind of had to take the advice of the professor who told me to get 2 CSD reccs since she is on the admissions and said their program generally looks for that. I am kind of regretting not having my other Psych professor do my letter instead of her, but it's out of my hands now so I can only hope for the best!

[the_bee's_knees]

I am also nervous about this. I had two professors lined up for LORs, but one of them had a medical problem and so she is not writing LORs this year. I had to scramble for a last minute LOR and now have two professional LORs (I used to be a teacher), and one faculty from someone whose on-campus clinic I had an assistantship in.

 

I'm hoping I didn't just blow a lot of money applying. But now I have several months to mull it over.

[Holly44]

The professors I asked to write my LOR don't know me that well either. However, they each asked for a statement of intent and a resume so I'm hoping that will aid them in the process. My biggest annoyance with the whole thing was that some professors are unorganized and will agree to write one for you, but drag their feet when you remind them. 

[SLPosteriorCricoarytenoid]

Ah yes, the waiting part for professors to finish submitting their references is about as bad as waiting for results. My last letter writer finally finished her letters for me today. I have to admit, I was very worried it wasn't going to get done or some catastrophe would prevent her from finishing them before the approaching due dates. Between schools not receiving my GRE, professors having issues with recommendation forms, transcript problems, and every other imaginable grad app issue, I am ready to start the waiting process! Haha