Letters of Recommendation
Both Grad School and jobs require letters of recommendation.
Do NOT ask for letters if you are not certain you want to do the program in question. Good letters of recommendation take a lot of thought, care, and time. We get dozens and dozens of requests for these and are happy to write them but don't waste the faculty members' time if you are just thinking about maybe doing something! Keep the letter writer apprised of the process as you go. Sit down and talk to them about the program(s) and why you want to apply. Don?t ask for a recommendation on the fly in the hallway.
A professor will be able to give you a better, more specific recommendation (with less drain upon the instructor's time and memory) if the student gives the professor the tools he/she needs to do so preferably in writing and two weeks or more in advance including:
- A blurb about the program AND why you are interested in it
- a resume that includes appropriate extracurricular activities and your GPA
- any other information that would be helpful and relevant to include
- a reminder about which specific courses you took from or papers you wrote
for the instructor
- clearly note the deadline and provide information about delivery, if it is to be mailed include a stamped, addressed envelope