Which one should I choose?

[Blue.beaker]

Hi everyone,

I am a biochemistry major and I am currently applying to various biomedical science or biochemistry Phd. programs. Most of the programs I am applying to require three letters of recommendation. My problem is that I have four possible letter writers. There are two people that I am definitely going to ask: my current PI and a professor who I have taken multiple classes with (five of them) and who I am currently working for as a TA. These are the two options I have for the third letter writer:

1. My old PI. Most of the schools I am applying to are very interested in previous research experience and I plan to talk a little about the research I did for this PI in my personal statements. However, the reason I am hesitant to ask him is that it has been about a year since I did research for him and even though he was my PI, I did not know him that well. He was an extremely hands off PI, and while I know he would be willing to write me a letter, I have a feeling that it would not be a very detailed/personal letter. His area of research also does not match the programs I am planning to apply to, so that is also something to consider.

2. An instructor that has taught two of the biochemistry labs that I have taken. This instructor really liked me (so much so that he actually wrote me a thank you note for working so hard in his classes). I am also currently working as a TA for this instructor as well and I know him fairly well. I have a feeling that his letter would be more detailed. 

Which one would you pick? The first option emphasizes my research experiences and I feel like it might look weird to describe the research that I did for him in my personal statement, but not include a letter of recommendation from him. However, the second option would give me a more detailed/personal letter.  

[Sandmaster]

I would pick option 2. The reason is because you already have a heavy research recommendation. I think it would give your application a more holistic package for the graduate schools to consider.

[fuzzylogician]

Two questions: 

- Do you have other letters that talk about your research? your teaching? will they talk about the same or different skillsets, publications, etc.? How detailed will they be? 

- Was there a graduate student or postdoc in the lab who you worked with more closely, who could co-write a letter with your PI so the letter is both detailed and signed by PI? 

Overall, I would go with the more personalized, detailed letter, but it also depends if one of these two options would be able to cover things that would otherwise not be touched on by anyone. Also if one wirter is (much) better known, and if the content is more or less related to your proposed future work.

[Blue.beaker]

 

14 minutes ago, fuzzylogician said:

Two questions: 

- Do you have other letters that talk about your research? your teaching? will they talk about the same or different skillsets, publications, etc.? How detailed will they be? 

- Was there a graduate student or postdoc in the lab who you worked with more closely, who could co-write a letter with your PI so the letter is both detailed and signed by PI? 

Overall, I would go with the more personalized, detailed letter, but it also depends if one of these two options would be able to cover things that would otherwise not be touched on by anyone. Also if one wirter is (much) better known, and if the content is more or less related to your proposed future work.

 - Yes, I am asking my current PI to write me a letter. She knows me very well and will definitely be able to talk about my research and the research I do for her is directly related to the programs I am applying to. The other professor I am asking for a letter from I am currently work for as a TA, so he will be able to talk both about my teaching skills and my writing and presentation skills. So those two letters alone would cover most of those areas and I think both of them would be pretty detailed. For the third writer, the old PI would probably talk about my research in a different area of chemistry and the instructor I am thinking of asking would probably talk about my writing skills (he loved my lab reports) and presentation skills. 

- The school I am going to is very small and so each lab only has a handful of undergrads and one or two master students (no postdocs). The lab I was in with the old PI had one masters student while I was there (he was the one that helped me with the hands on aspects of my research), but he has already graduated and left the school so I think getting a co-written letter would be unlikely. 

I'm leaning towards option 2 over the old PI because I feel like the letter would be more detailed. My only concern was that it might be a red flag if I talked about the research I did in that lab but didn't include the PI as a letter writer.