LOR online classes OK?

[dubiousraves]

Hey folks I am applying to a DrPH program and am having a dilemma trying to decide who to ask for LORs. I have been out of school for over a decade so I can't go back to my old profs but I have taken several graduate courses online in the last year and have taken a compressed two week in-person graduate course in epidemiology.

I am in the Foreign Service, posted overseas so regular in-person classes are not an option for me.

These are my choices:

1. recommendation from online professor 

2. recommendation from professor in compressed two week course that was in-person. 

3. Any other ideas?

 

[fuzzylogician]

You can (and should) have a letter from your supervisor at the foreign service. S/he won't be able to discuss your potential to succeed in a DrPH program (I assume), but s/he still knows you well and can attest to your work ethic, collegiality, and success at your current job. I assume that would be a stronger letter than any letter you could get from an online instructor or someone who will teach you an intensive two-week course. If you have an option to get a second (strong!) professional letter, one thing you might consider doing is actually writing the program you are considering applying to, explaining your circumstances and asking if they would prefer to have two professional and one academic letter or one professional and two academic ones. You might get a useful response (or maybe nothing will come of it, but you have nothing to lose). 

[dubiousraves]

@fuzzzylogician  You are absolutely right. I checked with both programs I am applying to and both say that at  only one academic reference is absolutely required. So rather than have a distant professor write a vague reference, I'll get two work refs from supervisors and just one academic reference.  Thanks for your feedback.

[emylauren2794]

I'm getting one from an online professor (mostly because my program is completely online) but if you have any supervisors, you could get one from someone at your school and then find the other letters elsewhere. Good luck