Asking for Letters of Recommendation

Potential employers, scholarship committees, and graduate school admissions committees depend heavily on recommendation letters to gain insight into applicants' personal strengths, character, and accomplishments. This kind of information cannot be readily gleaned from transcripts and test scores. So it is in your best interest to help your recommenders write the most accurate and detailed letters possible.

Start Building Relationships Early On

Even if you won't be applying for jobs, scholarships, coterms, or graduate school for quite some time, it never hurts to focus on building strong relationships with your professors from your very first year. After all, the strongest recommendation letters come from people who have known you a long time!

Smaller classes make it easier for you to get to know a professor. Consider applying to an IntroSem, which has a guaranteed small class size. If you're in a large class, you can still get to know your professor, but it may take a little extra effort on your part.

Whether you're in a large class or a small one, one of the best ways to build a relationship is by taking advantage of your professor's office hours. You can talk about the class they're teaching, about your shared interest in a particular field, or even about your professor's own career path and how they got to where they are today. We know that talking to faculty can be intimidating, so check out the additional tips at the links below if you're feeling nervous.

Once you're acquainted with faculty members through coursework, research, and other ways, don't let those relationships fade! Consider stopping by office hours once a quarter to discuss your interests and keep in touch. Faculty members often enjoy visits from former students and watching them develop over time, so don't feel self conscious about suggesting a catch-up!

Asking for Letters

When the time comes, you need not feel shy about requesting a recommendation. All faculty members had the same service done for them in the past and they regard this as a familiar process. Refer to the following guidelines for managing your letter requests.

  1. Consider what you're applying for. Coterms and graduate schools often want to see rec letters that come from people who have taught or mentored you in an academic setting. And they place the highest value on letters that come from tenured or tenure-track professors rather than TAs, lecturers, or instructors. On the other hand, jobs and fellowships may appreciate letters from professors, but may also be interested to see letters from your former employers. Check the application carefully for any guidance they may have on what kind of letters they would like to see.
  2. Choose the people who know you best. Many students wonder whether to ask a "big name" professor who knows only their face and final grade or a lesser-known professor who knows them better. Letters by famous people or well-known scholars only carry more weight if the famous person knows you well and can write a substantial, convincing recommendation. The more detailed and personalized a letter is, the more likely it is to make a strong impression on a selection committee. So ask your professors with the most extensive, personal knowledge of you and your work.
  3. Ask early. It is common courtesy to allow recommenders at least 3-4 weeks to prepare and submit their letters. We highly recommend involving them in the early stages of your application process, while you are deciding how to present yourself in the application materials. Their insights will prove invaluable and they will be well informed of your interests when they write their recommendations.

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