Your professors are always eager to help you in your quest to enter graduate school. But we do expect you to be well prepared and organized if you need letters of recommendation.
a) Plan ahead. It is customary to give all materials to your Professors AT LEAST 2 – 3 WEEKS before the earliest deadlines for your letters. Aim at 3 weeks or more, if possible. (May take longer, if during Christmas/Summer breaks or if your professor is on leave/sabbatical).
b) Be organized. Provide ALL materials in a folder at ONE time, and check that everything is there. (Writing “PS: my grades and resume will be in your box next week” – or forgetting to give us a form the school wants us to complete – gives us more loose materials to keep track of. Most of us do not start writing your letter until all the information is in anyway, so it’s best to wait till everything is gathered).
c) If you decide to send more applications out, just ask us and send all the materials we need again. If we still have your accompanying materials (ask us), you may only need to send your new addresses etc. + attachment.
Even though the process may be faster as we will already have a letter on file for you, it is a good idea to still allow about 2 weeks.
Remember: Graduate Schools expect to see substantive letters with specific information and details, and your Professors need sufficient time and complete materials to write strong letters for you!
Information you should provide for Professors who agree to write your recommendation letters
A pocket folder (not a bunch of loose papers, please) with all the following materials.–make an organized Table or a List, providing ALL the following information for each school to which you are applying:
a) Addresses (with names of individuals to address letter to, if provided). Please list the addresses * in chronological order of most recent deadline first.That is much more helpful to us than alphabetical or random order!
b) Name of Degree & Department or School (e.g., “M.A. in Educational Psychology at School of Education,” “Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at Department of Psychological Sciences”)
c) Special Instructions (e.g., “enclose in official envelope provided,” “requests 2 copies of letter”)
–please give your recommender a hard copy of the above information, and also send professor an e-mail attachment of this document (We’ll print your addresses on envelopes straight from your attachment, so double-check your addresses).
–if the school has sent you any Forms or Envelopes for the professor to include, don’t forget to put them in the folder. Paperclip things that go together.
–check through all Forms carefully: Often, there is a part that you must complete or sign yourself. Be sure to fill in the Professor’s school address: 1200 Academy St. Kalamazoo, MI 49006 and phone 269.337.7331
Accompanying Materials
–your SIP title, mentors/advisors, and a brief description of aims and results (or full abstract) of your project
–your resume (a draft is okay)
–your grades (an unofficial photocopy is fine)
–optional: it is very helpful if you include a copy of your Statement of Purpose (a draft is fine), or just a paragraph or two telling us about your career goals and why you have chosen your field
Example of a Table to prepare for professors when requesting recommendation letters:
| School and type of program | Letter and forms Sent to: | Address (for letterhead, etc) | Form (y/n) | Due Date (to me or to school per indicated) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Oregon Counseling Psych doctoral program | Me (insert your home address) | Counseling Psychology Program 5251 University of Oregon Eugene, OR 97403-5251 | Yes | January 4th or before |
| Southern Illinois at Carbondale Counseling Psych doctoral program | Me (insert your home address) | Southern Illinois University Carbondale Department of Psychology Graduate Admissions Coordinator Mailcode 6502 Carbondale, IL 62901 | Yes | January 4th or before |