Microsoft Word - Applying_LettersOfRecommendation.docx

P.O.!Box!607!Damariscotta,!ME!!04543!!

207-424-1185!

GETTING STRONG LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Thanks to contributors Susanne Kauer, Scott D. Anderson and Michael Ernst. Also, parts

adapted with permission

from the UC Berkeley EECS

Undergraduate Notes.

Susanne Kauer is a Policy

and Program Analyst in

Student Affairs at the Office

of the President at the

University of California.

Scott D. Anderson is a

Lecturer in the Computer

Science Department at

Wellesley College. Michael

Ernst is an Associate

Professor in Computer

Science and Engineering at

the University of

Washington.

Why are letters of recommendation so important? First, letters of recommendation shed

light on who you are as a person – most selection committees want to know something

about your character from someone who knows you well! Second, university professors

travel a lot and are tied into an international network of experts in their field. They know

many of the faculty at other institutions, at least by reputation. One strong letter of support

by a respected faculty member can do a tremendous amount of good for your application.

With such a letter, you increase your chances of getting into your program or institution of

choice – even if you do not have a perfect GPA. Tip: If you are graduating from an

interdisciplinary undergraduate program (e.g.,

marine science), your advisor may be willing to

write a letter of recommendation that highlights

your “breadth of skills” (and why this would help

you in future research) in lieu of your “depth of

skills” in one discipline only.

Whom should I ask to write me a letter?

Professors or supervisors with whom you have

worked closely in an academic setting, and who

know you well, such as:

A necessary step in applying to summer research

opportunities or graduate school is obtaining letters of

recommendation. Unfortunately, many students find the very

prospect of asking a professor to write a letter of

recommendation daunting.

Don’t worry! This article will help you understand the

process, get organized, and navigate the twists and turns of

asking for a letter of recommendation.

Remember, faculty expect a certain percentage of their

students to ask them for letters of recommendation each year.

Writing letters of recommendation is part of their job. Your

job is to make it as easy as possible for them to write you a

strong letter.

Susanne Kauer

Policy & Program Analyst in Student Affairs

Office of the President, University of California

P.O.!Box!607!Damariscotta,!ME!!04543!!

207-424-1185!

Þ Professors' who' have' had' you' in'

class,' for' whom' you' have' done' a'

project,' or' with' whom' you' have'

done'research.'

Þ Your'academic'supervisor.'

Þ Supervisors' from' internships'

related'to'your'academic'work.'

Letters from these individuals are most

effective because they come from people

who have known you in an academic

setting and whose academic standards are

well established. But, you ask, what if I am a freshman or have never done

internships/summer research? Choose a mentor, supervisor, or professor with whom you

have had contact who can speak to your character and work ethic (remember to avoid

relatives or family friends). See tips below on building relationships with professors or

academic advisors.

If you have an undergraduate research project that is supervised by a graduate student,

make sure that any letters of recommendation submitted on your behalf are composed and

signed by your faculty advisor, not the graduate student.

And lastly, if you have not been in recent contact . . . consider: are they really your best

reference?

How can I make sure I get a good reference?

First, select your references carefully! Choose

references who know you well and can speak

specifically to your work. Ask them: “Do you feel

you can write me a strong letter of

recommendation?” If they say yes, then make it as

easy as possible for them to write you a strong letter:

ü Give%letter%writers%plenty%of%time!'Once'you'have'

identified' your' recommenders,' be' sure' to' let'

them'know'several'months'ahead'of'time,'so'they'

won’t' be' surprised' when' you' show' up' at' their'

door'seeking'a'letter'of'recommendation.'Letter'

writers'have'other'responsibilities'and'deadlines'

–'give'them'enough'time'to'do'a'good'job'for'you.''

ü Summarize% what% you% are% applying% for.' Provide' a' full' list' of' all' the'

positions/programs' you' are' seeking' letters' for,' along' with' addresses' and' clear'

submission'deadlines'for'each'letter.'First,'a'list'makes'clear'the'scope'of'what'you'

are'asking.'It'enables'letter'writers'to'plan,'and'they'may'prefer'to'send'out'all '

letters'at'once,'rather'than'one'at'a'time.'Second,'letter'writers'need'to'be'able'

to'tailor'each'letter'to'the'individual'opportunites'you'are'applying'to.'Include'in'

. . . As a faculty member, how would I know

those things? Ideally, you and I had a one-on-

one working relationship, say for an

independent study or a research project. You

might have visited me in office hours so that I

got to know you more as an individual. You

might have distinguished yourself in class or

lab by the questions you asked or the

comments you made.”

Scott D. Anderson, Faculty

“Even if I know you well – my

memory may fail me!’

Scott D. Anderson, Faculty

“As happy as I am to write letters of

recommendation, they take time, which

is always a scarce resource.”

Scott D. Anderson, Faculty

P.O.!Box!607!Damariscotta,!ME!!04543!!

207-424-1185!

the' list' a' brief' description' of ' each'

position/program' to' which' you' are'

applying.' Provide' a' URL' or' flyer' if'

appropriate.'

ü Help% define% your% particular% strengths.'

Prepare'a'packet'of'information'for'each'

of'your'recommenders.'Include'a'draft'of'

your' statement' of' purpose,' a' list' of'

courses'you'took'with'that'professor'and'

the' grades' you' received,' and' your'

academic'resume.' Use'PDFs,' not'Word'(.doc)' files.'Your'resume' should'list'the'

schools'you'have'attended,'courses'you'have'taken,'any'research'work'you'have'

done'or' related' employment' you' have'held,'and'a' list' of' any' honors' you'have'

received.'These'materials'provide'the'raw'materials'that'can'help'shape'a'great'

letter'–' but' don’t'stop' there!' Specific'examples' and' anecdotes'are'much' more'

powerful' than' generic' praise.' So' -' remind' recommenders' of' particu lar'

accomplishments' or' skills' you’d' like' the' letter' to' mention.' Remind' them' of'

interactions'you’ve'had' o r'experiences' th at'may'illustrate'the'qualities'you’d'like'

them'to' b ring'out'in' the'letter.'Remind'them'of'any'specifi c'details'that'might'be'

more'appropriate'for'a'letter'of'recommendation'than'in'your'personal'statement'

or'essays.'Draw'their'attention'to'particular'items'on'your'resume'or'transcript'

that'they'might'be'able'to'speak'to.''

ü Make%the%logistics%easy.'If'electronic'submission'is'available,'let'references'know'

that'up'front!'If 'the'letters'are'to'be'mailed,'provide'a'filled-out'recommendation'

form,' a' pre-addressed,' stamped' envelope,' and' any' other' necessary' materials.'

Some'writers'will'prefer'to'use'the'letterhead'envelopes'and'posted'provided'by'

their' University;' others' may' appreciate' the' stamped' envelope.' It' may' also' be'

possible'to'arrange'to'pick'up'your'sealed'letter'directly'from'recommenders'and'

then'deliver'it'yourself;'but'some'recommenders'prefer'to'send'letters'directly'to'

the'selection'committee.'Ask'what'their'preference'is.'

ü Waive%your%right%to%view%the%letters%

of%recommendation.'It’s'traditional'

for'letters'to'be'sent'directly'to'the'

entity' evaluating' the' application;'

when'that'isn’t'the'case,'the'letter'

or'evaluation'will'be'sealed'before'

being' given' to' you.' Don’t' be'

paranoid' about' this;' it' is'

completely'standard.''

ü Follow%up%to%make%sure%the%letters%

are%sent%and%received.'Email'your'references'a'week'before'the'deadline.'If'you'

don’t'get'a'response'saying'they’ve'sent'it,'fol lo w'up'again.'A'simple'email'can'do'

it'kindly'and'politely:'

“I prefer to write letters where you have waived

your right to see it. I don’t intend to write letters

where I have negative things to say, but I think the

letter is taken more seriously when

the selection committee knows that

you are not reading it as well.”

Scott D. Anderson, Faculty

“For example, if you’d like to emphasize

your leadership ability, remind me of the

time that you volunteered to convene a

panel discussion on some topic. If you’d

like to emphasize your research aptitude,

tell me that.”

Scott D. Anderson, Faculty

P.O.!Box!607!Damariscotta,!ME!!04543!!

207-424-1185!

For more information visit www.pathwaystoscience.org or contact the Institute for Broadening Participation at contactus@ibparticipation.org.

“Hi Professor Smith,

I just wanted to remind you that the letter of

recommendation to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

is due next Friday. The letter can be sent electronically as

a PDF to [email protected]. Thanks!”

Contact the admissions office receiving the letters to confirm that the letters arrived.

ü Lastly,%say%thank%you.'After'you'have'completed'the'application'process'and'have'

heard' back' on' your' acceptance,' share' the' ou tcome' with' your' recommenders.'

They' care' about' you' and' will' want' to' celebrate' in' your' success!' Or,' if' your'

application'wasn’t'successful'this'time,'they'will'be'able'to'help'you'plan'for'the'

next'round.'

What if I am not applying right away?

If you have built a strong academic

relationship with a professor, supervisor

or mentor, and you know that person

would be able to write a strong letter of

recommendation, you can always ask

them to write you a letter now. They can

keep the letter on file themselves; or

some campus career advising centers

offer the service of keeping letters of

recommendation on file. Then, when the

time comes, most of the hard work will

have been done, and recommenders can

easily re-work the letter to bring it up to

date or make it specific to the current

opportunity for which you are applying.

Make an effort to stay in touch with your

recommenders by email, so that they can

write you an up-to-date letter of

recommendation when the time comes!

There is great value to maintaining relationships with your supporters.

A few final words: Just remember, many students before you have felt intimidated about asking for

letters of recommendation, and they are now in graduate school! Some of them are even faculty

members. Chances are that if you are considering applying to a summer research opportunity or to

graduate school, you are exactly the type of student a professor would be proud to recommend.

Susanne Kauer

Policy & Program Analyst in Student Affairs

Office of the President, University of California

What if I Don’t Know Any Professors Very Well?

Unfortunately, undergraduate classes at many

institutions tend to be large, and many professors do not

get to know all of their students well. So what should

you do? Plan ahead. Plan on creating one-on-one

academic relationships where someone can get to know

you and your work well.

If you particularly enjoy one of your courses, or if you

know you are doing particularly well in a course, be

sure the professor knows you. Attend office hours, even

if you do not need help. Demonstrate your enthusiasm

by inquiring about research opportunities. Tell you

professor about your summer research or graduate

school ambitions. Be involved in opportunities that your

professor is hosting outside of class, such as brown-bag

lunches or evening speaker seminars.