Can a non-academic write a strong letter of recommendation for grad school?

[dsaun777]

I am sure there are some people who were in positions to write letters of recommendation for grad students. What do these letters typically ask for? I am asking because I am requesting letters of recommendation from one of my employers and from 3 professors. My job has little to do with the grad field that I am applying to. I am worried that this might be offputting for the admissions department if my employer writes a great recommendation but lacks any sort of relevance to the science field. What are typical questions of these letters?

 

[hutchphd]

Paart of your value as a graduate student is your ability to interact, perhaps to teach, to be reliable and personable. Obviously the first concern is that you have the academic "chops" to do the work, and that is primary, but I see nothing wrong with one letter from a satisfied employer who knows you well. The other letters will need to speak to academics: presumably their authors know the ropes. It is not unusual to take a few minutes to explain your hopes to your professor so she knows what the best emphasis might be.

 

[Vanadium 50]

The letter needs to answer the question "will this person succeed in graduate school". Having people who have been through graduate school obviously helps a lot. You may want to keep this in mind when asking a non-academic.

Great example: a guy asked his girlfriend's father for a letter. He thought it was a great idea that the young man went on to grad school. Ideally one far away. Far, far away.