Making Life Easy for Your Recommenders

When you ask people to write a letter of recommendation for you, you are asking them to do you a favor, to give up their time and energy to help you get into grad school. You need to make the process as easy and painless as possible.

Ask in advance

You need to give your recommenders plenty of time to write the letters, especially if they are going to write letters for several programs that interest you. Schedule an appointment with your recommenders a couple of months in advance to ask them to write the letters for you. Be prepared to discuss:

• Your background and goals.
• The programs to which you are applying.
• What you need from them and when you need it.

Put it in writing

It will be helpful to your recommender if you provide a list of everything you need. In your list, include any requirements for the letter, including its length and topics that should be addressed. Note the deadline by which the letter should be mailed. Also include such background information as your resume, personal statement, and transcript. If you haven't yet written the personal statement, leave a list of your qualifications and successes. All of this information will help the recommender find detailed information to include in the letters.

Also leave your contact information for your recommenders in case they have any additional questions.

Provide supplies

Your letter may consist of a form that the recommender needs to complete. If there is a form, provide extra copies to the recommenders in case they make a mistake and need to start over. If you need to sign or fill out any parts of the form, do so in advance so the recommender can send the form directly to the admissions office.

Your recommenders are doing you a favor. If they are going to mail the letters to the school or to you, make it easy for them by providing stamped, addressed envelopes.

Follow-up

It is a good idea to call your recommender a few weeks in advance of the deadline to check on things. A diplomatic approach is to ask whether your recommender has any questions for you. If the recommender has been procrastinating, the call will serve as a reminder of the approaching deadline. If the letters have already been sent, it will be one less worry off your mind.

Say thanks

Be sure to send a thank-you note to everyone who took the time and effort to write a letter recommending you. Of course, the best situation is to send a letter of thanks along with the news that you have been accepted into the program of your dreams. But even if you do not get into grad school, be sure to take the time to say thanks.