REFERENCES & LETTERS OF

RECOMMENDATION

WHOM TO ASK FOR REFERENCE AND LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION? They must:

Know you well (e.g., taken for multiple classes, done a directed study with, talk outside of class)

Have known you for a prolonged period of time

Know your work Know your educational and career

goals Have a high opinion of you and your

work Be able to write a good letter

INFORMATION ABOUT YOU YOU MUST PROVIDE T0 REFERENCES & LETTER WRITERS• Resume/vita• Courses you have taken with them• Professional goals/personal statement• Description of job/program • Copy of application recommendation

forms and envelopes if applicable• Note – online is preferred!!!!

• Due date for the application or when they might expect to be contacted for reference check

• Spreadsheet with due dates is helpful if you are applying to a large number of jobs/schools

EXAMPLEPlace Program/

PositionProfessor/Contact Person

Due Date

Type of Reference

Comments

Bowling Green

Cognitive Psych, PhD

Dr. Grace Dec. 15

Paper – rec form

animal cognition program

Univ. of Florida

Social Psych, PhD

Dr. Alfalfa

Nov. 30

online Pets and dating behavior

Univ. of Michigan

Social Psych Dr. Sybil Dec. 1

online Reward behavior

Pfizer Research Associate

Dr. Charlie

Oct. 15

Letter of rec

Experimental design

Klein Associate

Research Specialist

Mrs. Doreen

Feb. 10

phone call

Data collection and entry

Starr Common-wealth

Youth Specialist

Mr. Blue March12

Letter – will call

teaching troubled youth

INFORMATION ABOUT YOU THAT IS HELPFUL• Research or other “out of class”

experiences (e.g., internships)

• Honors you’ve won• Work experience

OTHER SUGGESTIONS• Make an appointment to ask each

person who you want to serve as a reference

• Give references lots of time (3-4 weeks at minimum)

• Ask for references early in the semester

• Always waive access to letters of recommendation

• Remind references of due dates• Contact graduate programs to make

sure references have arrived

HOW TO MAKE YOUR POTENTIAL REFERENCES MAD (AND NOT BE A REFERENCE)

DO NOT DO THESE THINGS: Ask only over e-mail (unless the person is

no longer at Albion College or you are no longer

at Albion)

If you use e-mail:

HOW TO MAKE YOUR POTENTIAL REFERENCES MAD (AND NOT BE A REFERENCE)

DO NOT DO THESE THINGS:Slide recommendation letters under the door Give 2 days noticeUnorganized and hard to follow materials

Give letter writers everything at once

PLEASE REMEMBER… Professors are not required to write

letters of recommendation for studentsProfessors write letters for students

because they want to help them succeed and care about their future

Receiving a letter of support from a faculty member should be considered an honor, not an entitlement

Showing appreciation can go a long way toward getting go (even a simple “Thank you” can go a long way!)

PLEASE REMEMBER…

It takes time to write a good letter of support for a student

FINALLY Let your letter writers know what

programs you are admitted to and/or what jobs you get.We just spent a bunch of time writing a

letter for you and would love to know about the wonderful things you are doing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION…

http://gradschool.about.com/od/askingforletters/ht/howletter.htm