<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>So I'm a freshmen putting together my transfer apps for next year and I'm a little worried about my second LOR. My top choice (cornell) only requires one but a lot of other schools need two. I already am getting a letter from one professor that I am expecting to be good but I don't really know any of my other professors due to the classes being large lectures. I'm gonna try to go to my econ prof's office hours (got an A in macro, taking micro now) to get to know that professor but I'm not sure how to address the issue. Should I just try to talk to him about different econ issues? Should I tell him in the beginning that I want to get to know him better because I'm hoping he can write me a LOR?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I was in a similar situation when I transferred last year. I was in all intro classes with 100+ kids and did not know my prof. I was in a freshman writing seminar thankfully with 15 kids and I got a rec from that prof and also used one from a High school prof. Most prefer college, but if you are desperate I’m sure a high school one doesn’t matter. Worked for me! Also if you work a job on campus, try that as well.</p>
<p>I would definitely not tell him that you want to get to know him better so he can write you a recommendation, lol. In my experience professors don’t really like to think they’re teaching amateur Machiavelli’s. Really, all you can do is participate in class and go to office hours if you have legitimate questions; anything apart from that is going to be pretty transparent. Also, you should really be looking to ask your profs from last semester in order to give them enough time (like at least a month) to actually write you a good LOR. I honestly wouldn’t worry too much about it, though, admins understand that it’s hard to build a personal relationship with professors as a freshman. Plus, you’re coming from Columbia, right? I think you’re as much of a sure thing as I’ve ever seen.</p>
<p>(I seem to remember your username from another thread, apologies if I’m confusing you with someone else.)</p>
<p>UChicago not Columbia but yeah that’s me. Thanks for the help, I guess bringing up the LOR right away would be a bad idea lol. I already asked my prof from my small class from last quarter (did well in her class and she liked me) and she’s working on mine now. Just trying to figure out my second.</p>
<p>Yeah, I really wouldn’t worry about it. I mean, I know that sounds like a ridiculous statement, but I would focus on the parts of your app that you have more control over, such as your essay, etc. Coming from UChicago will still have a lot of weight. I’m curious why you would want to transfer from there to Cornell as an econ major (You are, right?), though, and adcoms might be as well.</p>
<p>tmi, pm me if you wanna talk</p>
<p>Many transfer applicants have 4.0 GPAs. Few have managed to befriend two of their professors into writing stellar recommendation letters for them, especially applicants from large universities. So any student who goes the extra mile to get cozy with their teachers is acknowledged by admissions officers. They want students who form close relationships with both their peers and instructors.</p>
<p>Since you are from Chicago, you have little reason to worry. One good letter and one mediocre one will still satisfy the requirement, and the prestige of your current university is way, way more than enough to compensate for your mediocre letter.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. Cornell actually only requires one letter, should I try to send a good one and a mediocre one or just the good one?</p>
<p>The key to becoming friends with a professor is not to be Machiavellian at all, but to genuinely be interested in the things that they are teaching. Go to office hours and introduce yourself, and maybe talk about something you are really liking or something you aren’t understanding, and come back whenever some instance of that occurs. If you can’t do that, maybe send the professor and email about a lecture you liked or totally didn’t grasp and talk to them when you can. Professors are normally pretty well versed in the topics they are teaching and have Masters or Doctorates in the fields, they’ll be very appreciative to have someone to talk to about what they are teaching and possibly researching. </p>
<p>This of course, doesn’t apply in all cases, just sort of feel your professors out as well, you want to find the friendlier ones in the first place :)</p>