Letter of Recommendation

[Axwell]

Hi everyone,

So basically throughout my four years of college I never built up a relationship with any of my professors except for one, so I need one more letter of recommendation. As a math major wanting to apply to an MFE program would it be okay to ask a professor I had in one of my lower division courses such as differential equations for a letter of rec?. As far as I know, the rule of thumb is that when you're applying to grad school you always want to ask professors you had for upper division courses.

Thank you.

 

[MikeLawrence]

Use the best recommendations you can find. However that ends up looking, it should work best.

 

[Paul Lopez]

Hi everyone,

So basically throughout my four years of college I never built up a relationship with any of my professors except for one, so I need one more letter of recommendation. As a math major wanting to apply to an MFE program would it be okay to ask a professor I had in one of my lower division courses such as differential equations for a letter of rec?. As far as I know, the rule of thumb is that when you're applying to grad school you always want to ask professors you had for upper division courses.

Thank you.

upper division, and a good grade in. Pref an A.

 

[weab]

you could definitely ask your differential equations professor if he knows you well

 

[MikeLawrence]

upper division, and a good grade in. Pref an A.

Hard cutoff?

 

[Paul Lopez]

Hard cutoff?

Probability question. All about risk. If you go to a prof where the course was too easy, assuming he isn't the chair of the dept or something, it won't be too helpful. If you go to the prof for a harder/upper division course but you got a B or whatever so so grade, what is he exactly giving you a recommendation on? It wasn't your performance in that course! Some of these things are more about relationships though so if they know you over several courses or you did a project with the prof or something of that nature, it's a totally different animal.

 

[Akshaytak]

I wanted to know your Opinion @Paul Lopez
I also have only one letter of recommendation from a professor(Stats Department) under whom I have been working for the past eight months and will be working under him for more eight months. We are working on some risk management problem.
I also face the problem of finding other 2 LOR. Also, since I am from an engineering background, I have two courses(industrial engg., Quality control) with some stats/Probability In them. I got a decent grade in both(A, A)
So should I ask them for LOR, but they don't know me well as it was 6-7 months ago, and if 2 out of 3 of my LOR are from professors under whom I have done only courses, will that put me in a disadvantaged position??

And yeah @MikeLawrence , I would also appreciate your comments

 

[MikeLawrence]

I wanted to know your Opinion @Paul Lopez
I also have only one letter of recommendation from a professor(Stats Department) under whom I have been working for the past eight months and will be working under him for more eight months. We are working on some risk management problem.
I also face the problem of finding other 2 LOR. Also, since I am from an engineering background, I have two courses(industrial engg., Quality control) with some stats/Probability In them. I got a decent grade in both(A, A)
So should I ask them for LOR, but they don't know me well as it was 6-7 months ago, and if 2 out of 3 of my LOR are from professors under whom I have done only courses, will that put me in a disadvantaged position??

The Stats prof sounds perfect. As for the other two, I don't know how to judge engineering courses. Paul has a point in that it is better if the course was challenging - but if these professors know you well for other reasons (in addition to the course), or if they are the best you've got, then you should go with them. I don't think you should be at a disadvantage if two of your recommendations are from academia. Many (if not most) of us are coming from undergrad for these programs, professors make sense. You definitely need at least one in industry though.

 

[Akshaytak]

But for industry LOR, I don't have any work experience

 

[MikeLawrence]

Doesn't have to be quant. No finance, engineering, anything? If so, keep working at getting some, but still just use the best recommenders you've got. NO use crying over spilled milk.