LOR choice

[applying07]

If you had to choose between the following two LOR writers, who would you pick?

#1. Full Professor, MIT Ph. D., three time Massachusetts Prof. of the year, well published, has written undergrad and graduate textbooks used in Labor courses, BUT I only had him for large principles lectures (where I got A's) and know only briefly (Met with twice this year to talk about grad school). He said he would be happy to write one, but that the best he could do was offer a "Dean's-style" perspective on overall curriculum which he didn't think admissions officers place much stock in. Plus, he would have to put on the LOR forms that he doesn't know me that well which wouldn't be a great thing.

#2. Part-time Prof. (splits time with another univ.), Boston College Ph. D., a few publications but not well known. I had him for Econometrics (A) and talked with a couple times in office hours. Knows me much better than #1.

Also, #2 said he thought #1 would be better, and #1 said he thought #2 would be better because it would be more personal. Sweet.

Thanks for your input!

[user_name]

I give my vote to #2. Telling the adcoms that you took a class from professor #1 and got an A has pretty much the same value as having him write a letter.

[asquare]

I'd go with number 2, also. Number 1 doesn't sound that enthusiastic about writing a letter (because he doesn't know you well), and there is nothing that he can say that isn't already in your transcript. It helps if your letter writers sell you to the admissions committee, and it doesn't sound as though Number 1 is in a position to do that for you.

[freak]

profs arre lazy needa make ur own choice

Originally Posted by applying07

If you had to choose between the following two LOR writers, who would you pick?

#1. Full Professor, MIT Ph. D., three time Massachusetts Prof. of the year, well published, has written undergrad and graduate textbooks used in Labor courses, BUT I only had him for large principles lectures (where I got A's) and know only briefly (Met with twice this year to talk about grad school). He said he would be happy to write one, but that the best he could do was offer a "Dean's-style" perspective on overall curriculum which he didn't think admissions officers place much stock in. Plus, he would have to put on the LOR forms that he doesn't know me that well which wouldn't be a great thing.

#2. Part-time Prof. (splits time with another univ.), Boston College Ph. D., a few publications but not well known. I had him for Econometrics (A) and talked with a couple times in office hours. Knows me much better than #1.

Also, #2 said he thought #1 would be better, and #1 said he thought #2 would be better because it would be more personal. Sweet.

Thanks for your input!