Ethos

It is the beginning of the Spring term, about the time I am frequently asked to provide recommendations for academic fellowships, scholarships, or graduate school applications. Because these recommendations are important, I take writing them seriously. So I have a few rules and requirements that you should keep in mind before requesting that I do so.

1. Your first step is to contact me by email to see if I would be interested in writing you a recommendation. You must contact me at least two weeks before the deadline for which a recommendation is due.

2. Assuming I do, your next step is to provide me with a complete package of information regarding your application. You must do this before I write the recommendation.

This package should includes a pdf of your unofficial transcript, a pdf of your letter of application, and any other material you believe I should know about. Send this package to me as a set of attachments to one email.

Please do not send me a link to a website where you believe the information is found. Instead, extract and organize all the relevant information and place it in the body of your email. Such information includes the fellowship or scholarship title you are applying for, contact information, and description of the opportunity.

3. Note that I always write anonymous recommendations. This ensures the recommendation is taken seriously. You must therefore provide me with the name, title, affiliation and address of the person(s) I am writing to. Include this information in the email you send with your attachments.

4. All recommendations are sent via email, not post. Please make sure you include the correct destination email.

5. The kind of recommendation you receive will reflect your performance in my classes, your overall success in college, and my impressions of you. If you are a poor student who is hostile to learning and lacks initiative, or an average student that is indifferent to theoretical and methodological inquiry, then I’m not the best person to ask. I mean no personal disrespect, but I strive to write excellent recommendations, and I want these to carry the appropriate weight for those that deserve high praise.

Finally, please note that I do not provide written recommendations for non-academic internships or job applications. It is the job of prospective employers to vet their own applications. I am happy, however, to provide verbal recommendations. So with my prior permission, you are welcome to pass on my contact information to potential employers.

Cheers!

William Lynn :: Mar.01.2009 :: Advising :: No Comments »