<p>DD1 is getting ready to send out applications to med schools and was beginning to line up recommendation letters. If it were up to me, I would have gone to the profs and research mentors who I really hit it off with, those with whom I'd discussed the subject matter beyond what was done in class, and who really knew me and my work. </p>
<p>But she decided she needed a "hard science" rec, and not being great in physics, went to her orgo prof where she had an A. She said that the first thing he said was, "What do you want?", and when she began talking about her application and rec letter, she said he cut her off mid sentence and said he wouldn't write one, at which point, not really knowing why, she left - all done within 60 seconds.</p>
<p>I actually felt this was good, because for me it's better to get brushed off quickly, than get a bad or luke-warm reco, but I thought it was very unusual. Would have thought something like, "I really don't have a good idea of your strengths to do justice", or some such thing, but is this sort of a direct refusal not uncommon? </p>
<p>Who would you recommend a student approach for these letters, and is there any special etiquette in asking for it? And who would you go to? For me, unless the college specifically asked for such-and-such subject professor, I'd let my grades speak for the subject, and focus on professors who knew me to say something other than my grades.</p>