Recommendations - Well-Known Faculty?

Graduate School
1

<p>I know there's no right or wrong, but I was hoping for a few opinions. :)</p>

<p>I'm trying to figure out my three recommendations for engineering Ph.D. programs. I have two for sure:
Prof 1: knows me moderately well, tenured full professor at a 15-20 rank school, very well-known in the field
Prof 2: knows me extremely well, brand new assistant professor at a 25-30 rank school, very little name recognition (for now)</p>

<p>My third LOR would come from one of two others:
Prof 3: lecturer at 15-20 rank school, knows me extremely well
Prof 4: well-known, full tenured professor at 7-10 ranked school, he was always very busy and I don't know him that well, despite working with him on a project</p>

<p>I used recs from both 3 and 4 to apply to summer programs last summer, and I'm pretty confident both would be willing to revise that into a grad school letter. Which should I choose as my final recommendation? </p>

<p>Or, more generally, how important do you think it is for faculty to be well-known and well-connected in the field they are writing a recommendation for?</p>

2

<p>I think the thing that matters most is how well the professor will be able to talk about your potential as a researcher in your field. I would go with a less known professor who I did research with over a well known professor who is only going to write a letter about how I got an A in their class. </p>

<p>So if you think one of those choices could talk about your potential more go with that one.</p>

3

<p>You could always go with four letters…</p>

4

<p>a prof knows you well (ESP about commenting on your research ability) is >> a prof with huge name but does not know you as well</p>