Note: I did edit out a few words from the original post I dont feel comfortable using on my blog.
As scholarship deadlines loom closer, we’ve gotten a few questions on how to get someone to write a recommendation letter for you. This applies to scholarships, admission applications, and even jobs.
As scholarship deadlines loom closer, we’ve gotten a few questions on how to get someone to write a recommendation letter for you. This applies to scholarships, admission applications, and even jobs.
- Give your teacher LOTS OF TIME. Do NOT ask for a recommendation letter immediately before it’s due. 1. the world does not revolve around you. 2. Your teacher probably has a boatload of things to deal with on a regular basis and they’re not going to want to add your letter on top of that. 3. You’re probably not the only one who needs a letter. 4. You do NOT want a rushed letter. It will sound fake and shallow and won’t help your case at all. Give them time to reflect on how awesometacular you are.
- Recognize that some teachers have their own deadlines for this kind of thing. One of my teacher friends won’t write letters for any of his students, no matter how brilliant they are, if they ask after a certain date, for the reasons listed above. Do not whine and complain if you fail to meet that deadline. That’s on you, boo.
- Approach the right people. Focus on someone who can and WILL speak highly of you. Try to ask someone related to your goal. Are you looking to study French? You should probs ask your French teacher, not your Maths teacher. That’s just common sense.
- Ask someone who is familiar with your work and can speak to it directly. Don’t just ask the teachers that like you. Your teacher could like you as a person, but if you don’t consistently turn in great work in that class, they can’t speak to your work positively. Again, an empty recommendation is as useless as no recommendation.
- Remind them of your work. You are not that teacher/employer’s only student/worker. You could be the greatest person since Ghandi, but that won’t mean this person will remember every single thing you turned in or every comment they wrote on your paper. If there’s something you want them to mention in their letter or something you think will help your case, bring it up! Mention in your request how it relates to your goal. For example, I did a massive project on censorship in children’s books in my communication theory class that played a big role in my interest in library science—so I talked about that to the professor when asking for a letter.
- BE RESPECTFUL. I cannot stress this enough. This person you are asking is not only your professor/employer, but an adult/human being (presumably) and what you’re asking for is a BIG DEAL. Treat it as such. Be nice and people will be more willing to do nice things for you.
- This request is FORMAL; treat it as such. Some teachers you may see on a regular basis and can ask them in person, some you’ll have to send a formal letter/email to. As mentioned above, this is a BIG DEAL, so you should write the request like one. If you don’t know how to write a formal letter, I suggest you look it up.
- Explain your goal. When asking for a recommendation letter, give this person some background notes. For example: “I am applying to ________ because I want to _________.” You should also explain how this relates to them. “In your class, I did _______, _______, and ______ and that has put me on this path because __________.” This will also help them figure out what to put in their letter.
- Know some teachers will want a face-to-face meeting with you first. Some people are just old school and into eye contact. If you’re an anxious person, be prepared for this eventuality. But don’t let it intimidate you! You need that letter, so get it. Manage your anxiety for like 20 minutes in order to give yourself a better future.
- Don’t assume they’ll say yes. If you write the request like you’ve already gotten confirmation, you’ll come off as pretentious. we all know you are. Don’t inundate them with the stupid details before they’ve agreed. Here’s word for word what I closed with in my requests from grad school applications: “If you would be willing to write this recommendation letter, I would forward you the information necessary for each process and could find a time to meet with you [on campus] to obtain the letter.”
- Explain the process. There’s a different system in place for everything you need a letter for. Some places will let you, the student, pass along the letter with your application. Some require the professors to upload them to the admissions website, because, honestly, how else would they know you didn’t forge the letter? Some require the professor to send a letter in a sealed envelope on school letterhead. There will be a process and you should be the one to know it and make it go smoothly. Don’t make the professor write a letter and research what you should already know.
- Give them a deadline. Even teachers are terrible about getting things done. Make sure they know exactly when you need this letter done—and pro tip: give them a deadline at least a week before you need it. Just in case.
- This is YOUR responsibility and YOU are in charge of getting it in on time. Again, this is not the only thing on that person’s plate, or, if your professor is anything like mine was, they may have actually forgotten about you and your impending deadlines. If it’s getting near the time you need this letter and you haven’t gotten any updates, check in. Don’t feel like you can’t pester them because they’re your teacher, this is on you. (But do not pester them unless necessary. Don’t make them hate you. They have control over your future now.)
- Recognize they are doing you a big favor. Go out of your way to make this process easier for them. Offer to meet them in their office to pick up the letters (if necessary), even if you don’t go to school there anymore and live thirty minutes away.
- Thank them PROFUSELY. Say it out loud, send them an email, make sure a “thank you” gets said more than once. This isn’t a requirement, but I was so thankful for the beautiful letters two of my professors wrote when I applied to grad school that I bought them each a bag of Lindor truffles. Because they did this awesome thing for me that they didn’t have to do and it really helped me. Also, one of the letters is super sweet and I saved a copy to hang on my wall. Not even kidding.
