Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation (LOR) can factor heavily in an application as they provide evidence from real people either in the field or in academia who can speak to you being a qualified applicant. Most commonly a graduate school application requests three letters of recommendation.
A good letter writer (in the view of graduate admissions) is someone who knows you well AND:
- has evaluated you academically in an upper-level course (especially a professor), OR
- has earned the degree you are seeking in your graduate work, OR
- has an advanced degree & has supervised you in a job/internship aligned with the grad program.
What if I decide to wait to apply to grad school? How do I ask professors for a LOR?
- Talk with professors while you’re in undergrad about the possibility of pursuing grad school in the future. Maintain the relationships after you complete you degree so that you are still memorable when it comes time to ask for the LOR.
- Ask professors if they would prefer to write “general” letters of recommendation. You would keep them in a safe place (for examples: Interfolio.com) and, when it is time to apply, ask recommenders to update the letters.
- If you fall out of touch with professors, you can still reach out in the future when you are ready to apply, but make sure to do so several months out to give time for backup recommenders. You want to be sure a LOR is strong and personalized, so help professors remember you and update them about your life by providing sufficient information (see LOR checklist below).
LOR Checklist
□ Identify 3-5 potential recommenders.
□ Ask top choices 4-6 months before due date if they would write you a strong LOR (this gives you time to ask an additional recommender if necessary). Offer an opportunity to chat more about your goals in pursuing grad school to help provide them context and to talk about what you might want them to include in a LOR.
□ Once they say “yes”, you can list their contact info and send the request for a LOR within the grad school application. You should also provide recommenders:
- your resume/CV,
- your personal statement draft or explanation of your intentions for graduate study,
- relevant info about the programs you are applying to,
- submission process and due date (you will find this info in the application),
- any other info they request (for example: what you hope they will highlight in a letter, transcripts, etc.)
□ You should waive your right to view the LOR – this signals to the writer and to the institution that you trust the recommender to be candid in their recommendation.
□ Check in a couple weeks before the deadline if they have not yet submitted the LOR (this gives you time to pursue a fallback if necessary).
□ After they have submitted the LOR, send a “thank you” email/note.
□ After your decision (even if you don’t go), provide a follow up to recommenders letting them know your next steps and to say “thank you for your support” again.
| LOR Request Template:
Dear [Recommender Name], I hope you’re well. I’m in the process of applying to [school programs] and want to ask if you feel comfortable writing a strong letter of recommendation on my behalf. I thoroughly enjoyed my time [your experience with the recommender]. As my [relationship], I believe you could honestly and effectively vouch for my [list of skills or qualifications] I’ve demonstrated during [experience]. I’m applying to [programs] because [goals and motivations]. I appreciate you considering my request. I’ve attached an updated version of my [resume/draft personal statement] to show my interest and qualifications for the programs. The recommendations would be due [date], and I can follow up with details on how to submit the letter. I’m also happy to meet or share additional information if it would be helpful for your consideration or letter-writing. Thank you for your time and support. |
What should a recommender include in a LOR?
If a recommender needs some support with getting started with a letter, you can help the recommender identify a specific situation or project they could tell a story about you and your skills in action and how it relates to what you’re wanting to pursue in grad school.
Additional tips:
- A recommender should share specifics about the student’s work/qualifications . What skills have they used well that are relevant to highlight for this program? Consider class projects and other assignments, extracurriculars they’ve been involved with, etc.
- Consider academic success, positive character traits/work ethic, and demonstration of improvement.
- Highlight a time the student impressed you, the recommender. What was the situation, what actions did the student take, and what were the results?
- Avoid vague wording and generalizations. Providing examples and personal anecdotes will help the student stand out.
- Consider the specific program – focus on skills relating to it.