Five College Coastal & Marine Sciences Program : Requesting Letters

Requesting Letters

Letters of recommendation are a requirement for most internship, job, and graduate study applications. Understand that writing a letter of recommendation is a time-consuming process. Therefore, you should provide your reviewer with as much helpful information as possible. You will demonstrate both good organization and initiative if you keep the following advice in mind when requesting a letter of recommendation.

(1) Provide the following information:
* Name and address of recipient
* Deadline (specify if ‘received by’ or ‘postmarked by’)
* Acceptable methods of submission (e.g. mailed directly, sent as an email attachment, returned to student in signed, sealed envelope and sent with all other application materials)
* Brief description of position and organization.
* If applicable, provide a pre-addressed, stamped envelope.

(2) Give as much as much advanced notice as possible. If the deadline is fast approaching, emphasize when the letter is due and apologize for the rush.

(3) To save your professor from having to look back through old records, provide a printout of your transcript and highlight classes you took with him or her. Mention any papers or projects on which you did very well. In general, remind him or her of your interaction and performance. If requesting a letter from a boss or supervisor, give them your dates of employment and a basic description of duties.

(4) If at all possible, include your cover letter or essays you had to write for the application, even if they are just in a draft stage. This gives your professor a better idea of what you will be doing, as well as insight into your interest in the position. Who knows, you may even get some helpful feedback that will strengthen your essays. Also, provide your current resume to give your reviewer an idea of your overall accomplishments and experiences.

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	Requesting Letters Letters of recommendation are a requirement for most internship, job, and graduate study applications. Understand that writing a letter of recommendation is a time-consuming process. Therefore, you should provide your reviewer with as much helpful information as possible. You will demonstrate both good organization and initiative if you keep the following advice in mind when requesting a letter of recommendation. (1) Provide the following information: * Name and address of recipient * Deadline (specify if ‘received by’ or ‘postmarked by’) * Acceptable methods of submission (e.g. mailed directly, sent as an email attachment, returned to student in signed, sealed envelope and sent with all other application materials) * Brief description of position and organization. * If applicable, provide a pre-addressed, stamped envelope. (2) Give as much as much advanced notice as possible. If the deadline is fast approaching, emphasize when the letter is due and apologize for the rush. (3) To save your professor from having to look back through old records, provide a printout of your transcript and highlight classes you took with him or her. Mention any papers or projects on which you did very well. In general, remind him or her of your interaction and performance. If requesting a letter from a boss or supervisor, give them your dates of employment and a basic description of duties. (4) If at all possible, include your cover letter or essays you had to write for the application, even if they are just in a draft stage. This gives your professor a better idea of what you will be doing, as well as insight into your interest in the position. Who knows, you may even get some helpful feedback that will strengthen your essays. Also, provide your current resume to give your reviewer an idea of your overall accomplishments and experiences.