Asking for Letters of Recommendation

The three big mistakes students make when asking for recommendation letters:

  1. Thinking that the best letters come from the highest status person who will agree to write on your behalf.
  2. Not giving faculty enough time to write the letter/not being aware of other faculty obligations (like grading your final exams, for example).
  3. Not providing recommenders with specific written information about you, the award you are applying for, its deadlines, and so on.

So now you know what not to do when you ask for recommendation letters. But what should you do to help ensure strong recommendation letters?

1. Ask for letters from faculty who really know you.
The best letters come from people who know you best, who have seen you at your best. Their position or title is less important than their ability to give detailed evidence of just how fantastic you are. So you want to ask people who have had the opportunity to see firsthand how dynamic, brilliant, committed, passionate, effective you are.

Try to get to know faculty well before you ask them to write a letter. Take some time to go to office hours, ask for assistance, look for opportunities to develop and strengthen that relationship. Get involved in their research. Be proactive about fostering these relationships. Consider including non-faculty members in your pool of potential recommenders. Depending on the award rules and criteria, a co-op supervisor or student activities supervisor is often (but not always) an appropriate choice.

2. Start the conversation well in advance of deadlines
Visit with potential recommenders early. You needn’t ask for recommendation letters just yet, merely for general buy-in and support. These early visits will help you formulate a stronger proposal, will help strengthen the relationship between you and the faculty member, and will help you gauge the strength of that individual’s support for you. If it’s tepid, you’ll be better served going elsewhere for your letters. Mediocre letters, even from important people, will not help you in your efforts. If your supporters are all tepid, you might be well-served by postponing or even reconsidering whether you are a suitable candidate for the award.

During these visits:
  • Explain what you are thinking of doing and why. Ask for an honest assessment of your candidacy.
  • Ask whether they would feel comfortable supporting you in your efforts. Give them a gracious way to say no.
  • Encourage faculty to help guide you in your proposal. Ask for their input on your ideas. Let them make suggestions. Some may even be able to offer connections to colleagues.
  • Ask if they'd be willing to read and offer feedback on a draft or two for the substance of the ideas. Find a time schedule that works for both of you and stick to it.
  • When it’s all done, send a thank you note to those who have helped you along the way, regardless of whether or not you’ve won the award.

3. Come prepared.
When you are ready to ask someone to write a recommendation letter, make an appointment. Don’t ask on the way out the door after class or in the hallway. Sit down, have a conversation. You should have a packet of paper materials ready that include the following:

  • A one-paragraph description of the award that you are applying for – its purpose, eligibility criteria, and so on.
  • Any additional program materials that will help explain what it is you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for Fulbright, be sure to include a country summary for your host country.
  • Information about you:
    • A resume or CV.
    • a one-paragraph or shorter description of your proposed project (if appropriate), or why you are applying for the award.
    • Perhaps a sample of work that you’ve done for the recommender.
  • Details about how to submit the recommendation letter: is it submitted online or in paper? What is the address?
  • Be sure to include the deadline, clearly displayed. We strongly encourage you to include a faculty deadline about a week before the actual deadline.
  • Your contact information.
  • Contact information for the Drexel Fellowships Office, as well as a link to the Faculty section of our website: www.drexel.edu/fellowships/faculty.