I’m in an MA program in Economics. It’s going well enough that I’m considering going on for a PhD, and I’ll be applying in the fall. The MA program includes two theory courses (Micro and Macro) and examines out its graduates instead of requiring a thesis. The exams are rigorous separate exams in Micro and Macro Theory.
My semester grade in Macro was terrible. I took three other courses at the same time, and they were all high grades, with the Macro grade being an outlier. I passed, but it wasn’t pretty. I then essentially taught myself Macro and blew both comprehensive exams away. I can identify where I disconnected from the material during the semester course, and the rest of my grades are benefiting from my finding out how I needed to rethink things. Nonetheless, my Macro instructor thinks I suffered a massive head injury at some point, and it shows when we run into each other in the halls.
(As an aside, my program has a policy of not replacing grades, so I can’t hide my bad Macro grade by retaking the course.)
Here’s the issue: One of the safety schools I’m thinking of applying to, University of Podunk, is a reasonably well-regarded, Micro-focused school. It’s the equivalent of what they call a regional law school, where talented people who don’t get into the top 10 schools would attend. My Macro instructor was brilliant - she realized her comparative advantage and attended Podunk as the sole star on the Macro side. She’s also the only Podunk graduate teaching in my program.
If I apply to Podunk, is it likely that my Macro instructor’s old advisor will contact her to ask, and if so, is it likely that her opinion of me is going to affect my admissions decision? Getting a pre-emptive letter of recommendation from her is probably not a strategy worth pursuing, because, as I said, I haven’t managed to convince her that I’m not in fact a dull boy - she’s been teaching only different levels of Macro and no electives, so I haven’t been able to get another course with her.
I’m missing something – why don’t you go to the macro prof and tell her what you’ve told us? (Why you got the bad grade – which wasn’t about her teaching! – and that you’ve since learned it and now realize, blah blah blah.)
Well, twicks, that’s sort of what I’m trying to figure out - whether there’s something to be gained by doing so. I’m willing to do so if there’s a downside to be avoided or a benefit I can gain by doing so, but otherwise, from her perspective, I’m a proven loser coming in to ask her to stick her neck out for me with her advisor. She’s a newly-minted PhD (my Macro class was her first semester teaching full-time) and the worst-case scenario in my mind is that she interprets my visit as a rent-seeking request and a criticism of her teaching regardless of what I say.
I can be fairly certain that she doesn’t think highly of me just from the way she’s acted toward me this semester at department events. She’d be unable to honestly write me a good recommendation since I haven’t had the chance to prove myself in another course with her, so if I can avoid involving her in the application process at all, I plan to do so. My question is basically about whether, by applying to Podunk, I’m involving her whether I want to or not.
You might try a general conversation with her about her experience at Podunk, how she liked it, whether she thinks you’re making a good choice in applying there, etc. Then you can at least get a sense of her perspective before deciding on any other action you might take.
I’m not suggesting you ask her for a recommendation – just that you try to prevent (or at least minimize) any damage that might be done if one of her buddies there asks her about you. Clear the air with her about your performance.
I think the fact that you’ve already thought about the biggest potential trap in the conversation indicates that you could probably make sure that trap isn’t sprung (uh…I guess that’s the end-of-the-week metaphor sale).
The other option is instead of asking strangers on a message board, ask another professor at your school for their advice on how to handle the application.
But if you’re going to be in academia, it never hurts to build every relationship you can, and especially never miss a chance to correct a mistakenly low opinion of your intellect. So it might pay off down the line if you can find a way to thank the professor for her teaching while showing that you can in fact think your way out of a paper bag “Even though I had this particular issue during the class and so didn’t perform well on those tests, what I learned enabled me to eventually blow away the comprehensive exam. So thanks!”
Not all students get along with all professors. If she doesn’t think highly of you now, do you know of some way to improve her opinion - besides telling her you took too many classes and blew off hers to some extent? (Not that you did that, but that is what she might think.) Does she know how well you did on the comps? Is there a way to remind her?
But this may never come up. Do you know how they think of her at Podunk? People who love Micro might not want the opinion of someone going there in Macro on a Micro loving candidate.
Plus, you never can tell. My undergrad adviser gave me an iffy recommendation - but one of the profs at the place I applied to used to be his office mate, and told people he always did that, and it didn’t hurt in the long run.
You should only talk to her if you really think it won’t make things worse. First impressions are hard to change.
You said that this is her first teaching gig, right? Then your comparative failure is indeed a failure on her part. Because you did so well on everything else.
Quartz, I don’t mean to be contrary, but I really disagree. It’s probably true that I’d have done better if I’d taken the other section of Macro, but it’s essentially a case of a presentation of the theory that I grok versus a presentation that I don’t (which is why it was so easy to crush the exam once I figured out what was going on). I drifted over from another field in the social sciences, so I started the program without a sufficient background in economics proper and so the issue was essentially that the prep work I’d done hadn’t prepared me for her particular style and interpretation. Had I gone in with a better grounding in Macro, I’d have been able to see the parallels a lot more clearly.
Nothing useful, but that is about the most perfectly worded explanation for previous less-than-ideal performance in school ever. You should tattoo it on your arm or something to consult in interviews.
I was thinking about what I would do, since I also had a class where I was not stellar (actually, I had two, out of four, but I’m not planning to continue for a PhD for that very reason), but I think I have also picked up since then. I would probably try to have an informal discussion with the professor about how you understand it now, and maybe say something flattering to her about how she made you aware of the importance of mastering the field or something. Just in case she has a buddy who gets in touch with her, which is not something I would assume will necessarily happen. Then get recommendations from other profs and ask them to mention your motivation in mastering macro for your exams or something. Basically, what people have already said.
Granted, but surely it’s her job as a teacher to see that and work with you to help you understand it? Or, failing that, to be up-front with you and say something like, “Ace, I’m afraid that you’re not ready for this course. Go study X, Y, and Z and get back to me.” From what you’ve said, she did neither.
No. By the time someone is in college, let alone graduate school, it’s expected that they will take responsibility for their performance in any given class. A professor should be willing to help if approached, but it is not their job to approach students who are struggling.
You know what I’d do? I’d go in during her office hours and do the thank you/apology. You know, something like this (or even email it):
“I just wanted to take a minute to stop by (or write a note) and thank you for your patience with me during my first semester. I know I must have seemed really thick, but I drifted over from another field in the social sciences, so I started the program without a sufficient background in economics proper and so the issue was essentially that the prep work I’d done hadn’t prepared me. Had I gone in with a better grounding in Macro, I’d have been able to see the parallels a lot more clearly. It didn’t quite click in time for finals in your class–but once I made (explain whatever paradigm shift occured), all the stuff from your class came together and I understood what I was doing. So thanks for all you did–I never would have made a XX on my comps without your class”.
Don’t even mention grad school. They probably won’t call her, and even if they do it will be months from now (as I assume you are applying for Fall 2010 at the earliest) and she won’t make the immediate connection. And even if she does, you’re not being sly, you just aren’t putting her on the spot.
