If you'd like to ask me for a letter of recommendation
I can only recommend you based on what I know about you.
If you haven't taken any of my courses or participated in a research project
with me, then I can't write a letter for you. Otherwise, please read on.
Include the items mentioned below with your letter request. In order to ensure that I will have enough time to write the strongest possible letter for you,
please submit all letter requests before Thanksgiving (this assumes the usual US application calendar for admission in the fall of the following year).
- Provide a list of your courses and/or projects, with titles
and dates, and grades as appropriate. Highlight the ones that you did with
me.
- Include a statement of purpose similar to what you plan to submit
with your applications. It is important that I be able to speak to how your
training and experience support your aims for graduate school.
- Include a resume or CV that emphasizes the points that you believe
are most relevant to your grad school search. The resume should support the
specifics in your statement of purpose.
- Provide a list of the programs that you will be applying to, with
the names of the university, program, and degree sought, together with the
application deadline. Due to the large number of requests that I receive,
I will normally be able to provide letters for at most eight (8) programs.
This should be plenty. Focus on identifying the programs that best fit your
goals. Doing so will make you a stronger candidate.
- Assuming that I am able to accept your request for a letter,
please submit the individual letter requests in batches of 3 or 4 programs
before Thanksgiving. Also, please send me frequent email reminders as the deadlines approach.
Good luck in your graduate program search!