Letters of Recommendation

I receive many requests for letters of recommendation. To smooth the entire process, I've prepared some information for you. Please read this over before bringing me any addresses or materials.

Who I will write a letter for...

What I need to write a letter for you.

What I cover in your letter.

Who I will write a letter for... In order to write a meaningful letter, one that is useful to the intended recipient, I have to have had contact with you in a variety of contexts over a period of time. In addition, the purpose of the letter naturally dictates the depth of content. A letter for a summer research experience would not generally be as detailed as one for graduate school. I assume that if you ask me for a letter, that you have given careful thought as to which faculty would be in a position to write the kind of letter you'd like to have. I am amused by students who ask me "would I be willing to write them a good letter of recommendation." The use of "good" in the sentence is a subtle check of the waters, so to speak. This approach must have been suggested in a recent book on how to get into medical school. I will write you a meaningful letter. It will be realistic, and I will try to put things in the possible best light. Admissions committees can readily detect letters that are syrupy, like "this student's going to save the world" in their tone and readily reject them. If I am uncomfortable writing you a letter, I will tell you so.

The table below summarizes the circumstances in which I usually feel comfortable in writing various types of letters:

Purpose of Letter	Circumstances
Summer Research Program	Minimum of one completed course from me, earning a grade of B- or above.
Medical/Dental/Vet School	Minimum of two completed courses from me, earning a grade of B- or above in at least one of them.
Graduate School in the Sciences	Minimum of two completed courses from me, earning a grade of B- or above in at least one of them.

Note: In most cases, I cannot effectively write letters for people who have graduated unless I have written a letter for them while they were still on campus and impressions were fresh in my mind.

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What I need to write a letter for you. Here is what I need from you in order to efficiently prepare your letter:

Time. If this is the first time I have written a letter for you, I need about a month's notice. This is because I must have an uncluttered mind in order to write the sort of detailed letter I like to prepare, one that will throughly and honestly evaluate your abilities and potential (this might sound ominous or intimidating, but this is the kind of letter graduate and professional schools want, and will be more helpful to you than a quick, superficial letter). Unfortunately, with my schedule, I only have an uncluttered mind, one able to write articulate letters, once in a while, so I need lots of lead time.

Forms. Please provide any printed forms with your part filled out completely. Be sure your name is on everything so that I can't get different people's stuff confused.

Addresses. I want all addresses sent to me electronically (in the body of an e-mail). Be sure they are complete and in standard format. If you are applying to more than one type of program, be sure it is clear which addresses go with which program. By providing this information electronically, I can quickly paste the addresses into your letters and onto your envelopes. You get faster service!

No Envelopes and No Stamps. In the event an actual piece of paper is necessary, I don't want envelopes in any form and we can afford stamps. I will write and send your letter on university letterhead in a university envelope. This is the professional way to do it if paper is necessary.

I don't want your resume or anything similar. I write based upon my observations of you in class, lab or wherever we've had contact. Admissions committees can read your personal statements, transcripts etc. There is no point in my repeating any of this info. The only exception is if you have graduated and I need to be caught up on your life.

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What I cover in your letter. When I write a letter, I like to do a thorough job and say something significant that honestly evaluates your abilities as I've seen them. I try to cover the areas listed below in your letter. Some of these categories are not appropriate for certain types of letters. If I've not had much contact with you, I won't know enough about you to address some of these points. If you read this over, you'll get the idea of what I will be doing as I write your letter. Keep in mind that I comment on these areas as I've seen them. I might say something positive or negative about a particular point; that doesn't make it true, it makes it my opinion based upon what might be fairly limited contact. Admissions and evaluation committees know this, which is why they always solicit multiple evaluations.

Opening

How I've had contact with you:*

student in lab or lecture (how many courses?)

advisee

WT intern

teaching assistant

research student

* if contact is limited, people reading the letter will know it and the value of my writing a letter might be limited.

Academic Abilities

Overall rating/opinion ... in comparison to what group of students? General Comments

Ability to recognize important problems

Problem solving ability

Conceptual ability

Ability to analyze complex materials/concepts

Ability to handle and integrate large amounts of material

Chemistry/Biochemistry Knowledge (important for students going on in science, naturally)

Knowledge in area of future study, if known

Breadth of knowledge in chemistry, biochemistry, ?

Competent in fundamental skills (academic & lab)?

Lab Skills (most people will fall into one of the following categories)

Exceptional, both in dexterity and use of common sense; resourceful
Like most people: competent/satisfactory (not a negative comment!)
Problematic: clumsy, lacks confidence, lacks common sense, lacks independence

Communications (oral and written; lab and lecture; these are categories)

Tends to be too verbose; rambles in writings
Appropriate; articulate; thoughts are organized. Most DPU students are really quite articulate and fall into this category.
Poor expression; poor record-keeping

Academic Attitude (again, these are general categories)

Excellent, seems to enjoy learning for learning's sake. Has the makings of a scholar. Engaged in the course. Asks questions. Active learner.
Good, like most students (this is not a negative statement).
Just "jumping through the hoops". Hard to tell the true level of interest.

Intellectual Creativity (for research students):

Original thought capacity

Creativity

New perspectives/approaches

Insight/Resourcefulness (lab and intellectual)

Personality/Habits

Attributes closely linked to academic performance

Motivation

Diligence

Maturity

Integrity (this is a quantum function in my mind)

Initiative

Discipline

General Personality Characteristics

Quiet or outgoing, sense of humor, etc - that sort of thing Relationships

"Gets along well with others" (The kindergarten sandbox test)

Seeks excessive attention/overeager

Carries an Uzi to solve interpersonal problems

And so forth...

Attributes especially important for medical school applicants

Empathy

Cooperation

Attitude toward supervision

Self awareness

Self confidence

Performance under pressure

Summary/Prediction/Closing

What kind of xxxxx will the candidate make?

Grades: a good/bad estimate of potential

Reiterate if contact is fairly limited

Recommend with confidence or reservations?

Ready/not ready for graduate/medical school etc