A few days ago
jxr182

What do you do about letters of recommendation if you’ve transfered around alot?

I have spent my undergraduate years dispersed over four schools. I’m getting ready to graduate in May and need to begin applying to graduate schools now. The only problem is all the schools require anywhere from 2 to 3 letters of recommendation. I don’t know any professors well enough to ask for one, let alone three. Is there a way around it that I just haven’t found? Has anyone else ever been in this position? I’m borderline as is (3.3 gpa with a B.S. in General Studies – Sociology minor). I haven’t taken the GRE yet (it’s scheduled) but I’m sure I will score high: practice is going well and I’ve always been one of those people that can ace any standardized test. Essays are not a problem either. I would estimate my writing skill is in the top 75% or so. But those darn letters. Any suggestions? Thanks

Top 2 Answers
A few days ago
CanProf

Favorite Answer

Don’t despair. Make a list of professors from whom a) you took more than one course and did reasonably well or b) that you did quite well in the one course you took from them. E-mail them identifying yourself (I was/am a student in your SOCI 304 class in 2005-06) identifying your problem and asking if the professor would write a letter. We get this all the time. If you are polite, don’t ask for the moon and make it easy for the professor (give all the necessary information about the letter, i.e. where to send it, when etc.) and spell it all correctly you are likely to get what you need.

Good luck.

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A few days ago
Anonymous
I would simply ask your advisor or the chair of your department to ask for one. Explain them what you just said and ask if they could write you one. I had the same problem, and it was hard to ask some of my teachers because the school was big and i didn’t know any of them very well. I asked the woman in charge of the health professions and she was very happy to write me one even though I had never talked to her before. Maybe you could send your advisor an email first so that it’s not was awkward to ask in person. I also had to do some volunteer work for my degree and I was able to bond with some of the physicians that i worked for. Perhaps you can find somehting similar, volunteer your time and then ask for a recommendation from someone supervising you.
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