<p>Usually, for professors to write great LORs for you, do they need to be emotionally close to you?
I’m not a sociable person; I’m rather shy. It will be difficult for me to build a great relationship with my profs, even if I visit my profs’ office hours every week and ask many questions. I may be able to give them an impression that I’m interested in subject matter and that I’m hardworking, but I won’t be able to be emotionally close to them.
I would appreciate it if you could advise on how you were able to receive powerful and influential LORs.</p>
<p>No - you don’t have to be BFF - you do have to learn to develop professional “adult” relationships. </p>
<p>85% of the task is just being around - office hours, colloquia, remaining concious in class, and so forth. By doing those sorts of social things you’ll gain a reputation for being interested and active in the field beyond the avarage.</p>
<p>At some point you’ll probably find something that REALLY interests you - maybe tangential to a class or something you came aross in a journal. That’s when you find a professor who’s into the same thing, schedule a meeting, and see where it leads. </p>
<p>One of my LORs is from a Prof I never had a class with but who helped me with some personal research that led to a poster session at next January’s AIA conference.</p>
<p>WilliamC: Thanks for your post. Now that gives me relief. I was worried that most people who got great LORs were those who were ‘buddies’ or really close with any of their professors. I certainly can’t walk into any prof I’ve had and start a conversation about anything with them.</p>