<p>I'll make this simple. </p>
<p>I want to go to grad school and I need three letters of recommendations. Who do you recommend I get mine from or who did you get yours form.</p>
<p>1) My research advisor</p>
<p>2) The chair of our department </p>
<p>3) -------------------------------</p>
<p>Any other professor that knows you if possible. If none no you well enough to give you a good recommendation, then you can do someone who has managed you at an internship. If that person has a graduate degree, that is even better.</p>
<p>If you sit at the front of the class and ask questions then chances are that professor will be willing to write you a letter of recommendation.</p>
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<p>If those Recs are good, the third one won’t be that critical (it might not even be read). But I would seek (in order): a well-known professor (tenured or not) that knows you, an executive at a well known company, a tenured professor, a tenure-track professor, a boss from an internship, an instructor, a grad student with whom you performed research, someone else (like a minister). There is, of course, trade-offs. You’re better off with a tenured professor who writes a glowing LoR than an executive who said he’s met you twice. But, in general, approach people in that order.</p>
<p>sorry to hi-jack, but whats better: a well-known professor I took a class with 3 years ago and only saw in OH a few times, but who I’ve kept some contact with over the years, because I had to ask him for LORs for academic programs and advice for careers. Last year, when I asked him for a LOR, he agreed but suggested that I ask another prof who knows me more recently
or
my supervisor at my recent internship?</p>
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I agree with this list, except I would place ANY professor before ANY non-professor - I had an executive with an engineering PhD at my company give me a LOR, and the impression I got during interviews was that they would have preferred a professor’s opinion.</p>
<p>To the OP: I would be wary of your department chair unless you have an unusual relationship with him/her. They are expected to comment personally on your academic and/or research ability, and most department chairs are unable to provide anything outside the transcript.</p>
<p>As to the 3rd letter, I agree that it is less important than you think - very few people have three strong letters, most people wind up with one that says “Student Alpha Bravo got an A in my class and seemed to participate effectively. Six months later I cannot pick them out of a lineup, but they got an A.”</p>
<p>creepy: I would go with the supervisor, if only because the professor warned you off. Plus, it has been a while, so the more recent contact may be more … substantive.</p>
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<p>I would caution you before drawing generalizations from a sample size of 1. Most academics know where the money is, and they’re happy to rub elbows with executives that can provide research money.</p>
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Sample size of 3, actually - both schools where I interviewed, as well as my alma mater (where I asked advice) said they preferred to hear from professors. That Executive may have some research funds to allot, but that doesn’t mean he won’t save you from wasting your time, money, and reputation on someone with no potential.</p>
<p>It’s still a sample size of 1: you. For your application they preferred professors. That doesn’t make it universal.</p>
<p>And no one said that people will hire a “no potential” candidate based on an executive (or academic) reference. However, all else being equal, if I can bring you in or bring in another guy, and I know you’re very well connected in GE, I might bring you in with the hope that you can help with a proposal. Again, that’s all else being equal and assuming that you’re qualified.</p>