Letters of Recommendation Request Tips
Having a difficult time asking someone to write you a letter of recommendation? Check out the helpful tips below!
A letter of recommendation is typically one page in length and written by someone who can speak to your work and knows you well. It is a letter to a potential employer, organization, or program that emphasizes your strengths and casts your professional attitude or work ethic in a positive light.
The program or position to which you are applying will tell you how many letters you need to submit, but you will usually need 2-3 from different individuals.
- For Health Professions – Gustavus does not use a committee, so you will need to ask for individual letters from professors.
If more than one letter is recommended, choose recommenders who can highlight different skills or strengths, or who can reflect on different kinds of work or study.
- Recommendations often come from faculty members or professionals in your field.
- Your recommender needs to know you well enough to compose a meaningful letter.
- We suggest that you meet with the writer, in person, to ask, preferably around 2 months before the application is due:
- Whether the writer knows you well enough to be a recommender (give them the opportunity to say no)
- Whether the writer can draft a positive letter on your behalf
If you have not received confirmation that the letter has been submitted, remind them of the submission deadline one week before.
Key things to do:
Say thank you
Re-emphasize that you’re grateful they are taking the time to write you a letter of recommendation (or at least considering doing so).
Give them a copy of your Résumé or CV
Send them a copy of your most recent résumé or CV.
Tell them your objective or recite a statement of interest
Let them know what you are applying for and be specific (ex: M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis). Then, explain why you want to pursue this. What’s your end goal and how does this help you get there? Why do you want them to be one of your letter writers? What are you hoping they can speak to in the letter?
Give them program information
Give them information about the schools you are applying to.
School Name, Program Name, Deadline Date
Ex: Drexel University, M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis, March 15th
Give them as many detailed directions for submitting letters as possible
If you know this information, let them know!
Ex: I will provide Drexel University with your name and email and they will be sending you an email with a link where you can submit your letter.
If the letter needs to be mailed – give them a stamped, addressed envelope for convenience.
Highlight Gustavus Education / Experience
List out what courses (and grade you received) you have taken that align with the program you’re applying for
Ex: Abnormal Psychology, Dr. Lucie Holmgreen, Grade A
List any experiences, projects, or papers on campus (or off) that would help your recommender write a strong letter of recommendation for you.
*You may also decide to attach a full unofficial transcript, or draft of your personal statement, etc.