I’m happy to support my students however I can, including by writing letters of recommendation. My goal is to write a letter that is both genuine and effective in helping you reach your goals.
Academic Letters
Please give me least three weeks’ advance notice for most academic opportunities. For Ph.D. applications, please give me at least six weeks’ notice before your first deadline (although we should also be in conversation about programs you're applying to, etc. well ahead of time.)
I request that you provide:
- A list of what you are applying to and the deadlines
- Your current CV or resume
- A reminder of the courses or projects you completed with me
- What aspects of your profile/application you hope the letter will emphasize
Ph.D. Applications
Letters for doctoral programs focus heavily on research potential. I can normally write these letters only when I have directly supervised or evaluated substantial original research. For these applications, I request that you provide, in addition to the four items above:
- A draft of your statement of purpose.
- Your writing sample and/or other relevant research you have produced.
- A list of your other recommenders and their roles. This helps me understand your full profile and tailor my letter to complement theirs.
Non-Academic Letters
For professional opportunities outside academia, please provide at least two weeks’ notice, along with the position descriptions, deadlines, your resume, and any points you would like emphasized in my recommendation.