An EDGE Scholar just asked for ideas on how to approach a professor or a boss for a graduate school letter of recommendation. Here was our advice!

1. EDGE Ideas -Asking for Letters of Recommendation?

2. Asking for Letters of Recommendation?
When asking for a letter of recommendation, be prepared to give the recommender a little bit of guidance!
First and foremost, follow up with the admissions people for the school you are applying to and better
understand the types of candidates they are looking for. Based on your educational background, experience
and interests – what would they want to know more about in order to help advance the admissions process?
Simply put, what more do they want or need to know about you to help their admissions committee
understand that you would be a good candidate for their program?
Additionally, do some personal inventory and try to determine what you have uniquely accomplished or how
you have stood out to the professor. Did you do extra work for their program, have you engaged in dialogue
on a topic that has inspired your career, have you been the most outstanding student – adding to his
classroom and acting as a leader?
What have you UNIQUELY brought to the experience of the teaching curriculum. Don’t hesitate to remind
your recommender about a time you engaged in an interesting manner or unique dialogue. Also reiterate
your perspective and work ethic. This is pretty common for people to need prompts in order to write good
recommendation letters.
Don’t be afraid to remind him how great you are! That’s really an OK thing to do.
Cheers!
Summers

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