Recommendation letter way too short? (electrical engineering grad school)

Clefgen
Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:06:22 +0000

I’m doing a 5-year program at a Tier-1 engineering school, and this is my 5th year when I do my MS thesis. My thesis is jointly supervised by my school and a company. I’ve been working pretty closely with my company thesis supervisor since Jan. 2008, and I find him to be a supportive mentor who’s always willing to help.

I’m applying to EE Ph.D. programs this year, and long story short, I inadvertently came across his letter after signing my waiver forms. I don’t think he realized I came across it. It goes like:

I am Chief Scientist at [Tech Company], and I am based at [School]. I advise a few students at [School], and I advise [Student] for her MS thesis. I have been advising her for about a year.

[Student] is doing well at [School], and I have no doubt that she will do well in her PhD research wherever she goes. She has done a good job on her thesis work. She has worked hard, and gotten good results. She is effective in working with me and with her peers. She is a pleasure to work with.

I have not known or supervised other NSF Graduate Research Fellows, but my
impression is that [Student] is in the top 25% of MS students at [School].

It’s obvious that he sent the same form to all the schools I’m applying to. I specifically asked him to describe my thesis work, and sent him all my NSF essays which I told him was to “help him in writing the rec”. I know he read the essays because he commented on them…

I’m not sure what the admissions would make of this… any thoughts would be very appreciated!