Letters of Recommendation

If I have agreed to write a recommendation for you, please give me a folder containing
  • a copy of your transcript,
  • a copy of your personal statement (if applicable), and
  • all necessary forms
Furthermore, at least two weeks before the first letter is due, e-mail me your answers to as many of the following questions as possible. Make sure I don't forget anything! The more complete your answers, the better:
  1. What is your name, year, and major?
  2. For what are you applying? (scholarship, graduate school, fellowship, etc.)
  3. List the programs to which you are applying, together with due dates for the recommendation letters.
  4. When did I first meet you (month and year)?
  5. In what capacity did I first get to know you (student in my class, research collaboration)?
  6. List all the classes you have taken with me, and your final grades in those classes.
  7. Describe how you distinguished yourself in each of those classes.
  8. Describe the research you have worked on with me. Was it summer work, senior thesis work, other?
    1. Summarize the research project motivation and goals.
    2. When did we work on this research (what time frame)?
    3. What were your main contributions to the research?
    4. What were the biggest challenges, and the biggest rewards of the research project(s)?
    5. What were the final results?
    6. Where has this research been presented (publications, talks, poster sessions)?
  9. How would you describe yourself?
  10. What are your long term goals and will this position/honor/award help? If so, how?
  11. What are some of your academic accomplishments?
  12. Additional comments (REU's, summer research, interesting jobs, hobbies, etc.)?
Please send me e-mail reminders as deadlines approach, and feel free to chat with me about other ways you can make the letter writing process go as smoothly as possible for you and your letter writers. Good luck!