<p>I need two letters of recommendation for a summer program that I am applying to. I am only a sophomore, so I don't really know any professors that well. I will start doing research with my academic adviser next semester, so I will have at least one letter of recommendation. My question is, should I ask a professor that I took a lecture class with last semester? He doesn't know me personally since it was a large lecture class, so would that not be a good idea? Do you know if this is standard practice, or would this be a bad idea?</p>
<p>Kids DO do that, but I wouldn't suggest it. Try to go to office hours for help -- even if you don't need it, make up some tough questions and pretend that you don't know them -- just to get to know a professor better. I did that with my calc professor this semester, and he was SO happy when I kept scoring hundreds (because he thought that it was because of his influence, LOL!!) that I'm willing to bet he would literally write me any recommendation letter that I asked for. :) Good luck!</p>
<p>I am planning to do that next semester, though I need to ask for a letter of recommendation within the first 3-4 weeks of the semester. Even if I did go in for office hours and got to know the professor as well as I could in the first 3-4 weeks of the semester, would it be OK at that point to ask for a recommendation letter?</p>
<p>Well, better than nothing right? If you have to do it, no questions asked, then just do the best you can with the time you have</p>