Getting The Best Letters of Recommendation

Graduate programs usually require you to submit at least three letters of recommendation. What can you do to make sure your letters of recommendation are helpful?

Ask the right people

The purpose of recommendation letters is to show your potential ability to study at the graduate level and to make a positive contribution to a particular field or area of study. Therefore, you need to ask for recommendations from people who have worked with you, supervised you, or taught you in your chosen field of study. Excellent choices are professors, employers, colleagues, teaching assistants, and even current graduate students in your chosen field. These people can write about your talents, knowledge, expertise, and potential for growth.

Ask people who know you

You may have a professor who is prominent in the field, but if you are just one of 100 faces in a lecture hall, that professor is not going to be able to give you a helpful letter of recommendation. Participate actively in class discussions and activities and join clubs and groups that will allow you to get to know your professors. It is better to get a glowing recommendation from someone who knows you well than a generic letter from someone well-known.

Follow the instructions

Your application packet may specify how many letters of recommendation you need and from whom. Follow these instructions as much as possible. If you need to deviate from the instructions (for example, you want to send one or two more letters than are required), call the admissions office to make sure this is acceptable.

Choose the confidential option

Your application packet will likely include recommendation forms for you to give to your recommenders. If the form includes an option for you to waive your right to see the recommendation, checkmark that option. Yes, you're going to be curious about what your letters say (and who can't use a good ego boost once in a while), but waiving your right to see the recommendation sends two messages to the graduate program:

• These recommendation letters are completely honest. The recommender did not sugarcoat anything in order to be kind.
• You are so confident in your qualities that you don't need to read your letters of recommendation.

To ensure that your letters remain confidential (and that you don't succumb to your curiosity) ask your recommenders to send their letters directly to the schools or to give them to you in a sealed envelope with their signature written over the seal.

If you do have the letters sent directly to the school, be sure to call the school a week or so before the application deadline to make sure they arrived.