What makes a good letter writer?

[Blanket]

Nm. Aiming t50

[Food4Thought]

Someone who knows you well enough to make comparisons to other students who have been successful.

 

For example, a great thing a letter writer could say is something like, "you remember so and so I recommended to your program a few years ago, and how he turned out to be one of your star students? Well, this student is even better than that guy!"

[Catrina]

Someone who knows you well enough to make comparisons to other students who have been successful.

 

For example, a great thing a letter writer could say is something like, "you remember so and so I recommended to your program a few years ago, and how he turned out to be one of your star students? Well, this student is even better than that guy!"

 

I don't think that the above is necessary, but it is certainly helpful. The ideal letter writer has a combination of the following:

 

1. Knows you and your work well, and can therefore write a really strong letter

2. Is likely to be known to the admissions committee members

 

Of course, given that it can be harder to get opportunities to work with really well-known professors, you may have to make somewhat of a trade-off between one and two.

[Blanket]

I don't think that the above is necessary, but it is certainly helpful. The ideal letter writer has a combination of the following:

 

1. Knows you and your work well, and can therefore write a really strong letter

2. Is likely to be known to the admissions committee members

 

Of course, given that it can be harder to get opportunities to work with really well-known professors, you may have to make somewhat of a trade-off between one and two.

 

So, how would an adcom take a letter written by a tenured professor who has taken me under his wing, so to speak, but comes from a school outside of the top 100? I have a very good relationship with this professor.

[Catrina]

I would think that you should include it, but ideally also submit a letter from someone more well-known. You have to have three letters, so that sounds like a good option to me.

 

For what it is worth, I was told by schools that the (really strong) letter from my professor played an important role in my admission, and I come from a school without a PhD program. The professor who wrote it probably has the strongest publication record in the department, but I'm not sure to what degree that mattered.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Catrina

[Blanket]

I would think that you should include it, but ideally also submit a letter from someone more well-known. You have to have three letters, so that sounds like a good option to me.

 

For what it is worth, I was told by schools that the (really strong) letter from my professor played an important role in my admission, and I come from a school without a PhD program. The professor who wrote it probably has the strongest publication record in the department, but I'm not sure to what degree that mattered.

 

I, too, go to a school without a Ph.D program. I haven't yet had a Professor who wasn't an excellent teacher, but I know of no Professor in our program who is particularly renowned. Is that a big problem? Or are Professors who are very familiar with me and my work good enough to make up for that?

[Catrina]

I, too, go to a school without a Ph.D program. I haven't yet had a Professor who wasn't an excellent teacher, but I know of no Professor in our program who is particularly renowned. Is that a big problem? Or are Professors who are very familiar with me and my work good enough to make up for that?

 

What is your alternative, exactly? If you are debating between a well-known professor and one who knows you well, then it is reasonable to consider which one to choose. However, if none of the professors are well known, the only option is to choose the one that can say the best things about you.

[Blanket]

What is your alternative, exactly? If you are debating between a well-known professor and one who knows you well, then it is reasonable to consider which one to choose. However, if none of the professors are well known, the only option is to choose the one that can say the best things about you.

 

Transferring. But I'm not confident that I'd stand out at a big school, so I'm not sure getting a half-assed letter from an AP at a better school is better than getting a very strong letter from a professor I have a great relationship with.

[Catrina]

Transferring. But I'm not confident that I'd stand out at a big school, so I'm not sure getting a half-assed letter from an AP at a better school is better than getting a very strong letter from a professor I have a great relationship with.

 

You are required to have three letters, so why not get both?

[coffeehouse]

Here are some qualities that are probably important: (In no particular order)

 

1. Good track record in recommending students into PhD programs.

2. Good publication record/well known in Economics etc.

3. Can compare you quantitatively to other students in your year and previous years

4. Knows you outside of the classroom and can comment on your research potential, work ethic, initiative etc.

5. If you took a class with them, the class should be rigorous (graduate level, advanced undergrad etc)

6. How long have they known you?

7. What is the professor's personality? Some professors really want you to do well, others are a bit more "awkward" and can't write good letters, or don't care much about how you are placed. (This is a bit tough to tell, but talk to some past students, talk to other profs. I specifically had one professor tell me not to use a letter from ___ because they have read their letters, and they are uninformative at best)

 

Of course, the 7 I listed above are all somewhat correlated. But those are some things to consider. Some are more important than others, some are not in your control. It's a typical problem of asymmetric information. Then again, the entire application process is too.

 

Caveat: This is just from my observation. I'm sure adcoms will have different ideas about what makes a good letter, but I can't imagine them being drastically difference.