Guidelines for letter requests - PLEASE READ THIS PAGE IN FULL before contacting me.
First, a starting point:
1. I only write letters for students who earned an A+ or A in my course. If you earned an A-, you may want to explain why you still believe you performed exceptionally despite the lower grade. I generally don’t write letters for students with lower grades, as I am asked by many students every year and need to prioritize those who performed at the top of the class.
Now, some basic guidelines before requesting a letter from a prof:
2. Do not assume the professor will write you a letter. Your first contact should be in request format. For instance, do not use language like this: “You should send your letter here.” Also not acceptable: “Thanks for writing my letter.”
3. Please write at least 6 weeks in advance for a letter. Others may differ; I generally say no to last-minute requests.
4. Do not ask for a letter before a class is finished. Most professors won’t comment on your performance mid-stream.
5. I only write closed letters – i.e., letters that you cannot see. Rest assured, I only agree to write letters for students I think are capable. I’ll tell you if I don’t think I can recommend you. If you get this response, don’t take it to heart - there are other faculty out there who have seen different sides to you. You just need to find the right letter writer.
In your first request:
6. This first request should be brief – a short email should suffice.
7. Clearly indicate what fellowships, grants, or schools you are applying for, briefly explain why, and write the deadlines for each in bold.
8. Please state what class(es) you took with me, what grades you received in the class, and your overall GPA. If you were an undergraduate in a large lecture class, begin by asking your TA. If your TA agrees, I will gladly co-write a letter with them. I only co-write letters for students in large lecture classes. (This means I will write a brief introductory and conclusion paragraph, and your TA will write the body in which she/he explains your performance in section.)
9. Graduate students: Please explain exactly what stage you are in your process (“third year, preparing for orals,” “6th year, second time on the job market,” etc.)
Wait for the professor and/or TA to say yes.
If I agree to write the letter, please immediately send:
10. All waivers and links including any signatures. All online requests should be entered so that you can confirm I’ve received the link. If you need a hard-copy letter, let me know that as well.
11. Please write an email with the following info:
o List of all our specific interactions again with dates (I took XX class Spring quarter, 2010, and earned an A+ in the class. I wrote a paper on X topic and received a grade of __. My midterm grade was ___. etc.)
o Undergraduate students: A list of what you’d like me to highlight in your letter – what you learned in my class, what skills you’d like me to discuss, your performance on essay assignments, etc. Don’t be shy. The more explicit you are, the better. Please also explain why you want to go to X specific graduate programs (name them) or why you hope to get X job (explain the job.) Explain why you think you’re qualified and what you have to offer, gain.
o Graduate students: A very clear, one paragraph summary of your project thus far, what stage you’re at, what archives you’ve looked at, which you plan to look at, the names of your committee members, your previous awards (if any), and a brief timeline for future work. If you are applying for jobs for the first time, you should probably schedule an appointment to discuss details.
o Optional: personal-professional details that you think explain why you are particularly well suited for this fellowship/career. Do tell specific stories that you think make your case unique or that highlight your accomplishments beyond the transcript. For instance, are you a first-generation college graduate? Or - did you grow up in a family of astronauts and now want to study the history of space exploration? These are personal details that are still professional. Don’t do the opposite: don’t feel compelled to share over-personal details that are disconnected from your professional goals.
Follow-up:
12. It is definitely advisable to send a reminder email the week before the due date if you are concerned. One reminder email is sufficient and appreciated. I take your due dates at face value and don’t usually complete letters until they are due. So if you are the anxious type, set the deadline a little earlier.
13. Please do let me know the results. I’m always happy to hear if you’ve succeeded, but I also want to know if you didn’t. Ask for advice. Don’t get depressed if you don’t get in where you applied. It’s completely normal and often does not reflect the quality of your work or your abilities. Failure does mean you need to strategize and come up with a new way of approaching your goals, though.