Letters of Recommendation

Before you ask for a letter, make sure you have this form filled out as completely as possible (note that this is a PDF form and will require Acrobat Reader to view and print). Give the information to those who agree to write STRONG letters for you (most faculty would rather not write a letter than write a weak or neutral letter -- neither of which will help your cause). Writing letters takes time and having the relevant information at hand makes the task much easier.

Who should you ask for STRONG letters from?

People who have worked closely with you.
People who have known you for a long enough time that they know you pretty well.
People who have expertise in your field.
Senior or well-known people (e.g., the department head), especially in your field.
Those who have a positive opinion of you, your abilities, your potential, etc.
People who have a warm and supportive personal style.
Professors who know you well. (It is YOUR job to get them to know you, not theirs.)

You should get the best letters from those who meet most (or all) of the above criteria.

Also, be sure that you give your letter-writers plenty of time before your deadline (e.g., three to four weeks).

And, give your letter-writers an organized packet of materials (e.g., pre-addressed and stamped envelopes, all necessary forms to be completed, any specific instructions that need to be made clear, obvious deadlines for each letter to be written, etc.).

You keep mentioning STRONG letters... Isn't it enough to get a STRONG letter just by having good grades?

NO! Think about it... if it were ONLY grades, then what more could be said that isn't already in your transcripts?

The more you do (in school and out), the more your letter-writers can write about, AND the more impressively you will come across.

You WILL NOT get strong letters if you do any/all of the following:

Treat your instructors and classes as though you are barely able to tolerate them. A bad attitude even with an A in the class isn't going to buy you a great letter.

Be consistently late/absent from classes. This shows the letter-writer that you are not serious about your education and responsibilities, and so, may be a bad risk for graduate school or a "real job."

Never ask questions or contribute to class (even when asked). You must not be very motivated or at best, aren't a "team player."

Complain when instructors provide extra learning opportunities (e.g., departmental talks, invited speakers, etc.). Most professors believe you are here for an education, so, what is the message you are sending when you complain about free opportunities like that?

Do not read assignments before class. This is a sign that you may not be serious about your education and that you may not be reliable.

Always try to be the exception to the rule. Looking for special pardons or rule-exemptions suggests that your priorities are selfishly oriented and/or you are not able to effectivley organize your time and responsibilities to meet deadlines.

Disagree with instructors in a haughty and condescending manner (especially in public). This doesn't mean that you have to agree with everything your instructors tell you, rather, it is addressing the way in which you go about doing so. Can you disagree in a respectful manner and back up your views reasonably, or, are you just a whiny brat?

Call assignments that you do not understand boring, irrelevant, or busy work. Again, this is a measure of how you deal with difficult situations and tasks. Are you willing to try something challenging, or, are you the intellectually lazy type -- not to be counted on when difficult situations arise?

Be a classroom lawyer. Don't take the initiative in your education. Do the bare minimum that the assignment (or professor) asks for. If they complain, point out to them that you fulfilled the task according to the instructions as specified. This demonstrates that your priorities are instructions-oriented rather than product-oriented. In other words, you care more about the grade than getting the education. How would this translate to the "real world?" I would assume that you would need to be supervised in order to be sure that your work was of good quality. I would not see you as an independent worker, and certainly NOT management material.

Never help to plan or participate in departmental or campus activities. This too reflects your level of committment to your education and the opportunities that are freely available.

Avoid using an instructor's office hours. That way, when you get a poor grade, it will be clear that you are the type who is unwilling to get help when needed. This can translate into you being a high-risk in the "real world." What supervisor would risk putting someone like that in a position of responsibility? They'd never know the job was in trouble until it was too late!

Should I waive or not waive my rights to view letters of support?

WAIVE!

In my opinion (which, I promise, is shared by many), when you do not waive that right it means that the letter-writer knows you might see what was written which would mean that they might not write as honestly as would be the case if they knew the letter could not be viewed. Probably you would be asking people who would not mind you seeing the letter, but that isn't the issue. The issue is that the folks reviewing your application cannot tell which type of letter-writer they are reading from. A letter that is in the "waived" category could be weighted more heavily than a letter in the "not waived" category.

FYI - I will not write a letter for you if you do not waive that right.