Who would everyone recommend to ask for letters of recommendation?

[speechfan222]

I know it's best to ask professors especially those whose labs I've worked in, but I have no lab experience for my undergraduate studies. Should I ask professors who I did fairly well within their classes? Also, can I ask a personal reference and a couple references from professors?

Any other recommendations or suggestions for references would be helpful.

Thanks!

[fuzzylogician]

You should ask professors who know you well and can say good things about you. Working in a professor's lab is one way to get that experience, but if that didn't happen for you, taking several classes and visiting office hours, TAing or RAing for them, or just being visible at department events are other ways to go. If by a "personal reference" you mean a letter from a friend or family member, that's a very bad idea. If you mean something else, please clarify. 

[speechfan222]

Okay that helps a little bit. Only professional references are best, then?

 

Any other tips you can provide?

[fuzzylogician]

Your question is incredibly vague. Why don't you start by telling us what your options are. Do you have professors who know you? Do you have a boss that can say good things about you? Have you done an internship or anything related to your field of study and have a superior who could write you a letter? 

[emylauren2794]

You should ask professors and if you have a job, ask someone in your current job to write one. I'm doing that and it should be okay. Good luck and hope I helped

[Love3]

I don't know about your program but I know the programs I applied to prefer recommenders who can vouch for your academic ability and know you personally.  Choose professors who you took multiple classes with, an advisor that you took a class with or a professor that you took once but knows you well enough to write a decent recommendation. Then, you can choose from a boss from an internship or related job or volunteer experience or an advisor from an organization that you were in or held a leadership position in. Make sure it's someone you trust that is organized!! 

The first time I applied I only had one solid recommender out of three. One professor turned in half of my applications very late and the other was a personal reference of a child that I babysat (very bad idea). So don't pick just for the sake of needing someone to do it. Pick a professional that will write a solid recommendation for you.