which one is better

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irockhard
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:40 pm

which one is better

Post by irockhard » Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:47 pm

1 . a letter from a pretty well known and accomplished professor. You work under a grad student in his big research group.


OR


2. a letter from a very obsecure professor. Publication in a well respected peer-review journal. You work directly with the professor.

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Helio
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Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 7:11 pm

Re: which one is better

Post by Helio » Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:10 pm

irockhard wrote:1 . a letter from a pretty well known and accomplished professor. You work under a grad student in his big research group.


OR


2. a letter from a very obsecure professor. Publication in a well respected peer-review journal. You work directly with the professor.

how about you get both? since you need three letters..... but if i had to choose the second one because the professor knows you better and can judge you as a person and your accomplishments better

irockhard
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:40 pm

Re: which one is better

Post by irockhard » Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:44 pm

can't get both. it's either one or the other.

excel
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Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 2:33 am

Re: which one is better

Post by excel » Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:59 pm

#2 if you are confident of the publication.

nathan12343
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Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 9:34 am

Re: which one is better

Post by nathan12343 » Sat Apr 25, 2009 1:55 am

How well known is this well known professor?

Is he so well known that anyone who reads that letter will know who this guy is? If not (and I bet this is the case) go with the publication. Admissions committees want to see details and proof that you are a hard worker who can move the work to completion. If you aren't directly working with the prof, I doubt they can do that for you.

Also, who really cares about prestige? Do whatever research you are most passionate about.

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grae313
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Joined: Tue May 29, 2007 8:46 pm

Re: which one is better

Post by grae313 » Sat Apr 25, 2009 11:16 am

For what it's worth, I came from an unranked school with zero known professors, but I had people who knew me well and wrote very good things about me. This didn't hurt my application at all.



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