Letters of Recommendation

The best people to write letters of recommendation for you are professors, instructors, employers, and advisers who have supervised and evaluated work that you are proud of. It is important that the person know you well. If you keep in touch with your favorite teachers and employers over the years and share with them the development of your plans, they will enjoy having the opportunity to write letters that may assist you in progressing towards your goals.

If the letter of recommendation that you are requesting is for a specific purpose, you should identify potential letter writers who have had the opportunity to observe you developing and utilizing skills and talents which will be valued in that selection process. You will almost always want an academic reference written by a professor or a tutor who can describe your approach to learning, analytical and problem-solving abilities, and written and oral communication skills. For advice about specific letters of recommendation for fellowships, graduate and professional schools and employment, the best person to see is your academic advisor.

You may also want a letter from a person who can comment on other personal strengths, leadership skills, inter-personal skills and work characteristics such as initiative, attention to detail, and high standards of performance. It is most helpful if they are familiar with and can describe specific examples. All letter writers should address your potential for success in the given field.

As you complete a course, an extracurricular activity or employment in which you are pleased with your achievement, you may want to request a general letter of recommendation from your professor, supervisor or employer. If you find it difficult or awkward to request letters', remember that anyone who teaches or supervises the work of young people expects to be asked to serve as a reference.

The advantage of requesting a letter at the time you complete the course or the job is that your performance is fresh in the mind of the letter writer, and therefore, he or she can speak specifically about your accomplishments. There is also the advantage that you are in contact with the potential letter writer, whereas, in the future, you might have difficulty finding him or her.

Sometime in the future you may want to ask writers of general letters of recommendation to rewrite their letters for a specific purpose. This is not burdensome task for the writer. The major effort is the development of the first letter of recommendation about you. Future editions require very little time.

How to Ask

Because you want letters that are positive and supportive, you should always give the person the opportunity to tell you if they do not think they are the best person to write for you, or that they do not know you well enough, or that they are too busy.

The best way to ask for a letter of recommendation is in a personal conference when you have the opportunity to discuss your reason for requesting the letter of recommendation. If you share with the letter writer your goals and aspirations, and the reasons why you are making the particular application you are asking them to support, it will assist them in writing about you as you see yourself.

If it is not possible to meet with the person, the choice between making your request by telephone or by letter depends upon your relationship with the person. It is a choice based on what you feel is the best substitute for the personal conference.

What Information to Provide

It is important that you carefully think through what information will be helpful to the person who is writing a letter for you. It is important to refresh the letter writer's memory of the work that you have done for him or her. If some time has passed since you completed your work with him or her, you may want to supply materials such as the research paper you wrote or the special project that you did. You may also want to give a progress report or relevant experience since that time.

For a letter of reference for a specific application you should supply the letter writer with information about the criteria used in the selection process. This will give them the opportunity to speak to the qualities in which the selection committee is most interested.

The other kind of information you want to supply is information about yourself. A copy of your resume, your transcript and a draft of your application essay will assist the writer in viewing you and speaking of you in a broader context.

The Deadline

Be sure to inform your letter writer of the deadline for the receipt of letters of recommendation. Request your letter two to four weeks ahead of the deadline, if possible. Provide stamped, addressed envelopes for the letter and a written note stating the deadline and to whom the letter should be addressed.

Graduate students are advised to establish a dossier at their career services office as a repository for their letters. Undergraduates should request that a copy of each letter be sent to their permanent file with their academic tutor.

Remember that your letter writers have many other responsibilities to fulfill and other deadlines to meet. It is perfectly acceptable to follow up a few days before the deadline to be sure that your letter of recommendation has been sent or to make certain it has been received. Meeting the deadline is your responsibility.

Confidentiality

Since the enactment of the Buckley Amendment in 1975, you have had the legal right to read letters of recommendation written about you unless you waive that right.

Waiver forms are probably available in your advisors' office. The decision of whether to waive your right of access is a personal decision. There are several important factors to consider. You may want to discuss this question with your advisors throughout your college