<p>Because I've been out of school for some time and didn't really plan on going to graduate school until I finally figured out that I wanted to after a year or two in the workforce, I don't have any professors on my LOR list. That being said, may I ask my workplace supervisors to be my three LORs? </p>
<p>Now, two out of three, I pretty much know who I want to ask. The next question is: I am unsure whether or not to ask the high-uppity-up division chief who likes me but may not know me as well or if I should ask my project's lead engineer who knows and likes me a lot. Does the lead engineer of your project count as a supervisor/employer or must I ask someone in management?</p>
<p>It would be helpful if you could specify for what field this is - I’m going to assume that you are applying for engineering. I am also assuming (based on prior posts) that you are applying for a professional master’s in engineering. Engineering is not my field, so throw some salt into my advice and hopefully some folks in engineering will come in and be able to provide more targeted advice.</p>
<p>Because your program is a professional program, I think it is probably okay for one of your letters to be from a work supervisor - provided that supervisor has a professional master’s in engineering and can speak to your ability to succeed in a master’s program. BUT the other two letters really should be from professors. Even a professional master’s program is still an academic program, and the committee will want to hear about your success in academic endeavors and your ability to successfully complete a master’s program, not necessarily about your work. Some folks will say that you might be able to get away with two professional references and one academic. I would say that you would need at least one, and more likely 2, references from professors.</p>
<p>You can ask any professor in whose class you got an A. You might have to provide them with some materials to jog their memory and also explain what you’ve been doing in the interim. This is quite common.</p>
<p>As for your second question, it is always a better idea to ask someone who knows you well than it is to ask a more “impressive” reference who does not know you very well.</p>
<p>juillet, I appreciate the help and advice that you give to me and to all the other hopefuls on this forum. I suppose I am caught in a place of my own making…I didn’t build many relationships with professors during my undergrad years. Instead, I just took classes (got some A’s and B’s) and got involved in clubs and such. </p>
<p>As you know, the problem is that right now, those that know me and my work well are my supervisors whereas my professors probably barely know who I am. Nevertheless, I will take your advice and try to reach out to as many as I can. Perhaps I can get one or two to be kind of enough to help me out. </p>
<p>What about an undergraduate advisor? Did you have one? It would seem that he/she might be a good place to start, assuming that you had more interactions with him/her over the years than a professor that you took for one or two courses.</p>
<p>Personally, Noblerare, I would call the department of your prospective graduate school and ask them who they would like to hear from since you’ve been out of school for some time. It’s part of their job to answer such questions, and it is my guess that they’ll be happy to do so. Graduate schools welcome candidates who have been out in the work force for some time. You most certainly won’t be the only applicant in your predicament.</p>
<p>I assume you’ve already checked the graduate school’s website? My son’s grad school specifically addresses your scenario right on their site. His school’s site says, “if you have been out of school for a number of years and are unable to contact former professors, you may submit non-academic references (e.g., employers).”</p>
<p>Other sites I’ve seen recently suggest that students in your situation should be sure to submit letters from bosses and supervisors to whom you report, not peers or subordinates. Others say to be sure not to confuse an “academic recommendation” with a “character reference.” They’re looking for academic recommendations, for the most part.</p>
<p>Even if your prospective school does address this issue on their site, if you still have questions, you should definitely call and ask! Be honest as you speak to them. Let them know that you didn’t make many connections with professors while you were an undergrad student, if they continue to suggest past profs. Your honesty will not be a strike against you and it will help you get the advice you need. LOTS of people have done what you have done – failed to make connections in undergrad but decided later to attend grad school. It’s all good! :)</p>
<p>I don’t disagree with the advice to ask questions, but I would warn you to be careful about that. Like this</p>
<p>*et them know that you didn’t make many connections with professors while you were an undergrad student, if they continue to suggest past profs. *</p>
<p>I would not say this. In this case, your honesty could indeed become a strike against you. I would make it a more detached question, if I asked at all, and spin it more positively. “My work supervisors are the best people currently to testify to my skill and progress as an engineer, and we’ve worked on some applied research projects together as part of my work. Would it be appropriate to use them as recommenders instead of academic references?”</p>
<p>But it IS true that many, many people decide to go to grad school years after undergrad, after they have not made close connections with professors - or have many years between them and their professors. There are ways!</p>
<p>Wow, thank you for all the advice everybody! </p>
<p>Update: I decided to email my professors one at a time and see who would respond. I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. The first professor that I emailed responded and said he would be happy to write a letter for me. Looks like a miracle just happened. Woohoo! </p>