<p>I worked as a web developer intern in an startup last winter break for one month. Part time, five hours a day, five days a week. I think I didn't do anything but some simple programming. Is it worth asking a recommendation letter from him? </p>
<p>No, I don’t think so. It just isn’t relevant in the scheme of things for grad school that I can see. But list it on your CV.</p>
<p>There are two professors I am familiar with in my department, I went to their office hour a lot, and they all know my name. However I can’t find a their professor to write recommendation for me. I mean I know a lot of professors, but most of them don’t even know my name. I took their class and that’s it, There were less interaction between us. I am wondering who else I can ask to help me out </p>
<p>If they know you well, and the work you did is applicable to the grad school program I would say yes. 100 hours of work there is probably more close contact than you have with any of the professors whose class you took that don’t know your name. But also try really hard to track down the professors you do know. </p>
<p>I would say no. When asked how long he’s known you, he could only say a month. Second of all, when applying to graduate programs you really should be getting recommendations from professors anyway - people with PhDs who have supervised you in academic work. Sometimes it’s okay to get one from a supervisor, but it would have to be a really outstanding one in work that is relatively similar to what you’d do in a graduate program. This isn’t one of those cases. When asked, he can only admit to knowing you a month. He can’t really evaluate your likelihood of succeeding in a graduate program with that kind of experience.</p>
<p>If there truly is no other professor to write you a recommendation (many people ask professors in whose class they did well, and give them some materials to help them write a letter - a resume, a writing sample, a statement of purpose), then perhaps you need to take a class as a non-degree student so you can get a third recommendation letter.</p>
<p>I have one class which I didn pretty well, I was in the final round of a gaming competition (a programming competition) in a team of three. I took two classes with that professor. However, I am not an outstanding student. I got into that gaming competition mainly because I was in a good team. He’s also a popular professor who I can barely see in his office hour, so he doesn’t really know me that well. I guess it is worth a try asking him help me out</p>
<p>Didn’t you do any research? People applying for grad school usually have research. Letters from people you did research with will be the most important letters. Some say they are the only letters that are meaningful. Then letters where you did well in class. If this professor can say that you only did okay in class but you were really good when working on a team and made it to the final round then maybe that shows where your strengths are. So when you see him you might want to have a copy of your CV, your statement of purpose rather than go empty handed.</p>
<p>That is the other problem I have right now. I didn’t know that I have to know certain type of knowledge in order to do research in my major. I asked one of the professor who knows me really well last semester, and he said he can give me this opportunity to do research for him however I have to learn something myself this summer, build the basic. If things goes well, I will start doing research this coming semester. The problem is even though I start doing research this September, I will only have one semester research experience before I hand in my application. </p>
<p>Sometimes you have to know specific things and sometimes not, just your coursework will do. My dd was able to do an independent study semester for credit where she did self study background info and audited the professors grad course in order to start summer research on a particular project, but she spoke with that prof early Jr year. That research lasted from summer through the summer,after graduation, so I suppose if the applications didn’t prove fruitful she could do another round without delay. But she had other experiences earlier, and overlapping ones during this project as well. I know the summer was funded through a university undergrad research grant but after that it was paid and she was able to get paid enough to live over the summer after graduation before heading to grad school.</p>
<p>You could see how the research is going and see if it is longer term or you can find another project at your university to work at for a year after so you will have a stronger application with more research and better letters, maybe.</p>