Do recommendations from professors that actually went to the school in which you are applying have more weight than from other professors? For example, I am trying to do an independent study with one of the professors at my school who went to harvard and was accepted into the gsd as a junior and graduated with honors. she went to work briefly for the school as well. would this hold significant weight in an application?
I think professors that know you the best, can talk about how you have developed as a student (aka a professor that you have had for more than one semester), professors of classes where you have produced your best work, professors that you ejoyed. If they are alums, or super stars that is icing on the cake, but isn't needed.
I actually had one professor from college write me a recommendation. The other two came from employers. My advice is to ask professionals who know you best, regardless of their area of expertise (well, some connection to the field is obviously needed).
I had my architecture tutor, my previous boss who is a Park Planner for the National Park Service, and the Principal at the firm I currently work for, write ones for me. As long as they know your capabilities, your passions and even your limitations, and can write an honest review of your abilities, I say go for it. The more well rounded and diverse your background is, the more you'll appeal to the admissions comittee. Hope that helps, good luck.
for a school like harvard, i would say that it definitely matters if the person writing your recommendation went there. if you've looked at harvard's letter of recommendation form, they actually have a check box to mark if the person writing it went to harvard. if it didn't matter, then why would they include that?
Apr 18, 05 10:25 am ·
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getting into grad school...
Do recommendations from professors that actually went to the school in which you are applying have more weight than from other professors? For example, I am trying to do an independent study with one of the professors at my school who went to harvard and was accepted into the gsd as a junior and graduated with honors. she went to work briefly for the school as well. would this hold significant weight in an application?
Why should it matter who you convinced to write you a letter? Focus on your work so that its strong enough where that your references don't matter.
i do focus on my work and am counting on my portfolio primarily to get me where i want to be but my thinking is that every little bit counts...
I think professors that know you the best, can talk about how you have developed as a student (aka a professor that you have had for more than one semester), professors of classes where you have produced your best work, professors that you ejoyed. If they are alums, or super stars that is icing on the cake, but isn't needed.
but you should have at least one recommender that is recognized in their field...at least locally.
I actually had one professor from college write me a recommendation. The other two came from employers. My advice is to ask professionals who know you best, regardless of their area of expertise (well, some connection to the field is obviously needed).
I had my architecture tutor, my previous boss who is a Park Planner for the National Park Service, and the Principal at the firm I currently work for, write ones for me. As long as they know your capabilities, your passions and even your limitations, and can write an honest review of your abilities, I say go for it. The more well rounded and diverse your background is, the more you'll appeal to the admissions comittee. Hope that helps, good luck.
(sorry i'm adding my 2 cents so late, but...)
for a school like harvard, i would say that it definitely matters if the person writing your recommendation went there. if you've looked at harvard's letter of recommendation form, they actually have a check box to mark if the person writing it went to harvard. if it didn't matter, then why would they include that?
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