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2024 October 14
Letters of recommendation are required for many jobs, internships, fellowships, graduate schools, etc. So college faculty write a lot of them. We're glad to do it, because we want our students to succeed. But there are some things, that the students could do, to make the whole process smoother.
This page describes how to ask me for a letter of recommendation. Probably much of my advice applies to other faculty, but I don't speak for them, so maybe not.
This page assumes that you are a current Carleton student, because that case covers most of my recommendations. If you are an alum or you know me from some other context, then read this page, but e-mail me to clarify anything that doesn't apply to you.
I am happy to talk to students about their plans for the future, whether it be in industry, government, the non-profit sector, or graduate school. Be aware that I went to graduate school in mathematics (rather than CS, stats, physics, geology, etc.). I am familiar with the math subculture but less familiar with other subcultures.
However, if you don't need to discuss your plans with me, then don't ask for a meeting to discuss your plans. You might think that meetings are needed to build some kind of relationship, but that relationship would have been better built while you were taking courses with me. Don't try to force it now. It is totally okay to ask for a recommendation without having a bunch of meetings. :)
Read this whole page, before you ask.
Do not presume that I will write you a letter of recommendation. You need to ask. Usually I say yes, but sometimes I say no, for a variety of reasons. If I say no, it doesn't mean that you're a bad person or a bad student. :)
You need to ask at least a couple of weeks before the first recommendation is due. Writing a letter takes a chunk of time. Sometimes it takes a while, for me to schedule that chunk.
You can ask for a recommendation in person or over e-mail. The in-person version takes as little as one minute. It can be done during normal office hours, if we step away from any other students that might be present.
When you ask for a recommendation, tell me what kind of positions you're applying for — for example, summer internships or graduate schools. Tell me approximately how many positions you're applying to, and when the first due date is. Also, tell me which courses (or projects) you've taken with me, to jog my memory.
Most letters of recommendation are vague and boring. You want your letter to be specific and interesting! The more information you can give me, the better. E-mail me with at least the following information.
Some students go beyond this minimum. For example, a student might direct me to the GitHub repository of a project that they've been developing in their spare time. Or a student might remark, "Remember, in Math 211, I was the one who asked for extra reading on...".
A USA law called FERPA prohibits me from discussing your academic performance widely. For me to go through with your recommendation, you must waive off this prohibition. One way to do it is to fill out Carleton's official FERPA release. Alternatively, you can e-mail me from your Carleton account, clearly and explicitly stating that I am authorized to discuss the details of your academic performance in recommendations.
After you are accepted or rejected, at least in academia, you have a right to review your letters of recommendation and other materials. However, the possibility of this review stifles honest conversation between the recommender and the admissions/hiring committee. So there is always a checkbox, somewhere in each application, that lets you waive this right. You must waive this right, for me to go through with the recommendation. This is normal.
Finally, a few days before the first deadline, send me e-mail to remind me. Don't be surprised if I submit the letter on the day that it's due.