This page is in progress, but contains important information if you are planning to ask me to a write a recommendation letter. Most of the information on this page is shamelessly stolen from my friend Siddhi, and my colleague Benedek.
The first thing to note: writing letters is a part of my job, and I am happy to do it! However, it does take some time to do it well. So, please follow these guidelines to make it easy for me to write the best letter possible. First things first:
I can best support your application if we have shared substantial, positive, and direct in-person interactions.
1) Please email me asking for the letter, along with a brief summary of why and how we know each other. Do your best to tell me at least 4 weeks before your first deadline. (I can sometimes provide letters on shorter notice, but I cannot guarantee it!) If I do not feel I am the right choice to write the letter, I will say so. I want to make sure you can submit the best application possible, which means I want you to have enough time to find an alternative if necessary (this is another reason for the 4 weeks notice).
2) I might l ask to meet with you, either in person or over Zoom. This is typically a short meeting, lasting at most 30 minutes. You should be prepared to tell me:
why you asked me (vs someone else) to write your letter. What interactions did we have that influenced your decision to ask me? What skills or characteristics did you demonstrate that make you ask me over someone else?
what draws you to the program(s) that you're applying for
what you hope to get out of the experience in the short- and long-term
what you want me to emphasize in the letter (this is related to why you asked me vs someone else)
some of your strengths that you want me to highlight, and how those strengths were demonstrated within whatever capacity we know each other
are there other things you want me to know and discuss? (For example, are you a first generation college student, veteran, or caregiver? Was there a semester where some life events severely affected your academic performance? Are there other circumstances that have positively or negatively impacted your trajectory which impact how one should read your application?)
3) If/once I agree to write the letter, you should send me all of the following materials ASAP (but definitely at least 2 weeks before your first deadline). You can either email me these documents in a single email, or send me a link to a google drive folder with all of these materials:
a link to whatever program/internship/fellowship program you are applying for
if you are applying for multiple programs, a spreadsheet with all of the dates that your applications are due
drafts of the statements you are submitting (and their prompts/solicitations as well)
a copy of your résumé/CV
an unofficial transcript
4) Once I submit my letter, I will email you to confirm that I've sent it in. If you haven't heard from me within 48 hours of the deadline, please feel free to send me a reminder!
5) Finally: after the whole application process is done, please let me know about the results! Filling out all the forms for your application takes time and energy, and hearing that you got into a great program is my reward.