Letters of Recommendation
I’m happy to support my students however I can, including writing letters of recommendation. My goal is to write a letter that’s both genuine and effective in helping you reach your goals. To make that happen, I have a few guidelines to help you decide if I’m the right person to ask, as well as to coordinate our expectations.
General information for academic LoRs
If you’re seeking a recommendation for an academic opportunity, please give me at least three weeks’ advance notice (see note about PhD applications below.) I aim to write only genuinely positive letters, so I may decline your request if I can’t provide more than a generic or lukewarm letter. Please see it as my way of protecting your application: I sincerely believe you deserve a letter from someone who can be a stronger and more detailed advocate for you.
I would like the following information:
- What you are applying to + deadlines (a list of programs/link is sufficient)
- Your current CV/resume
- A brief reminder of the course(s) you took with me
- Briefly, what you are hoping my letter will be able to speak to/emphasize
I may also request a one-page “highlight reel.” This memo is your chance to guide what goes into my letter: It’s where you tell me what you’d like me to emphasize (coursework, research experience, intern experience, extracurricular/volunteer activity, anything else that you think may be pertinent.) Don’t be modest! The more details, examples, etc. you provide me, the more specific and personal my letter can be.
LoRs for PhD applicants in particular
For PhD applications, please give me six weeks’ notice before your first deadline. We should (ideally) also be in conversation about what programs you are applying to well ahead of time. Letters for doctoral programs are all about your research potential. Hence, I can only write PhD application letters if (typically) I have worked with you in one of the following ways:
- You produced a thesis or major research project with me as an advisor.
- You wrote an original research paper in a seminar I taught.
- You have otherwise demonstrated research potential in another direct and meaningful way.
If I agree to write you a letter, then addition to all the items listed in the first section, please also provide:
- A draft of your statement of purpose
- Your writing sample (if it is not required for your application, any research papers/theses pertinent to your application)
- A list of your other recommenders (who else is writing for you and in what capacity e.g., “Professor A, thesis advisor.”) This helps me understand your full profile and tailor my letter to complement theirs.
Finally, as an assistant professor, I want to be transparent about my junior standing. While I will write the strongest letter I can, you should strategically consider that committees often place more weight on letters from tenured senior faculty with established reputations. This is not a reason to avoid asking me entirely, but it is a factor you should bear in mind when assembling your recommenders.
Non-academic LoRs
If you are a seeking a reference for a professional opportunity outside the academy, please give me at least two weeks notice ahead of your first deadline. To help you think strategically about your recommenders, consider the following criteria:
- If you have taken a class with me, I may be in a good position to write you a letter/serve as a reference. The most impactful letters stem from courses where you actively participated, excelled in your assignments, or showed a keen interest in the material.
- If you haven’t taken a class with me (e.g., academic mentees), then any reference I provide would be based on our conversations and your general academic record. While I can speak to your character and progress, this type of letter tends to lack the specific examples of your skills and work that employers find most compelling.
Similarly to above, I would like a list of what you’re applying to (+ descriptions and deadlines), your CV/resume, a reminder of the course you took with me, and any notes about what you’d like the recommendation to emphasize.