LOR for X University, from professor with PhD from that U?

[ali8]

Sorry if the subject isn't totally clear.

Now I have a professor who got his PhD from a university where I would like to apply.

BUT: He got his PhD in EE, so only EE people probably remember him.
And I will be applying to physics...

So, is it an advantage if this professor wrote the LOR for me?

I don't think so since he is not from the same dep't, but I need to be sure.

Thanks !

[ali8]

If it matters, the professor got his PhD in 2000, about 11 years ago.

[midwestphysics]

Have you done research with him? Had a class? I always operated under the system of picking LOR's by:
(1) Profs you've done research with (Includes home uni and REU, it's better if it's physics but still good for any STEM program)
(2.1) Advisor or Physics Profs you've had classes with and did very well
(2.2). Work supervisor if directly related to the field
(3) Math profs you've had classes with and did very well
(4) Profs of all other STEM courses not mentioned above
(5) All other profs, though I doubt these would be of much use.

Unless you did research with this prof I'd put him in the 4th category. So, personally I would only ask him if I couldn't get three letter out of the first three categories, but that's just my opinion.

[ali8]

Yes of course I have done courses with him and got As..

So your point is it's just useless, and the fact that he got his PhD from
there is pretty irrelevant. hmmm...

BTW, what do you mean by STEM program ?

[HappyQuark]

Yes of course I have done courses with him and got As..

So your point is it's just useless, and the fact that he got his PhD from
there is pretty irrelevant. hmmm...

BTW, what do you mean by STEM program ?

I don't think anyone is saying it is useless or irrelevant. What's being said is that unless you did any kind of research with them, the degree to which any professor can claim to know your potential is limited.

[negru]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell

People in STEM programs are usually people who have been cloned. They clone really smart people in the hopes that their genes will shine through again. Unfortunately, the clones pretty much never achieve the same level as their parent organism, and are in fact even less capable than average peers in the field, hence midwest's positioning them only on 4th place. Quite a shame really, but there is hope that this will work better in the future.

[midwestphysics]

BTW, what do you mean by STEM program ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell

People in STEM programs are usually people who have been cloned. They clone really smart people in the hopes that their genes will shine through again. Unfortunately, the clones pretty much never achieve the same level as their parent organism, and are in fact even less capable than average peers in the field, hence midwest's positioning them only on 4th place. Quite a shame really, but there is hope that this will work better in the future.

As much as I love that reply

STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

[grae313]

Sorry if the subject isn't totally clear.

Now I have a professor who got his PhD from a university where I would like to apply.

BUT: He got his PhD in EE, so only EE people probably remember him.
And I will be applying to physics...

So, is it an advantage if this professor wrote the LOR for me?

I don't think so since he is not from the same dep't, but I need to be sure.

Thanks !

I don't think it will give any extra advantage, so choose who to write your LOR based on who knows you and your potential to do research the best.

[ali8]

Sorry if the subject isn't totally clear.

Now I have a professor who got his PhD from a university where I would like to apply.

BUT: He got his PhD in EE, so only EE people probably remember him.
And I will be applying to physics...

So, is it an advantage if this professor wrote the LOR for me?

I don't think so since he is not from the same dep't, but I need to be sure.

Thanks !

I don't think it will give any extra advantage, so choose who to write your LOR based on who knows you and your potential to do research the best.

I see, thank you