5 Tips for Asking for a Letter of Recommendation + Sample Email Request!
I successfully obtained 4 letters of recommendation after asking via email over 6 months after I graduated from UCLA. Graduation is the perfect time to ask! You are still fresh in the professor's mind. These are my tips for asking for a letter of recommendation (LOR) for graduate school or an internship. You must be very courteous and diplomatic when making this type of request, so follow my 5 steps outlined below:
1) Ask AT LEAST 2 or 3 months before the application deadline. The more advance notice, the better.
2) Make a formal request, either in email or in-person. In-person is preferred if at all possible.
3) Anticipate the supplemental materials they will need and supply them (transcripts, resume, personal statements, etc.)
4) Send periodic reminders while they writing the letter
5) Set a fake deadline for them to submit your letter that allows you buffer time before the actual application deadline. This way you have time to act if anything unexpected happens.
By following these steps, I was able to obtain 4 letters of recommendation even after one person ignored my reminders and failed to submit the letter before the (fake) deadline. Everything worked out in the end because I was prepared and I conducted myself with poise.
About Me
-Name: Hailey Dollar (yes, that's my real last name)
-Age: 24
-CC: West Valley College, A.A. in Liberal Arts
-Undergrad: UCLA, B.A. in Applied Linguistics
Career goal: Speech Language Pathologist
Let's connect!
/ haileygoes2ucla
/ haileygoes2ucla
Disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated in any way with the University of California, California Community College or California State University, or the admissions departments of these institutions. The information presented in this video is taken from my own personal experience and is a reflection of my opinion only.
Пікірлер: 16
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! So helpful! Wishing you the best!
@HaileyDollarGoesToCollege
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for your support
Awesome thanks for the video and all the information. Very useful.
@HaileyDollarGoesToCollege
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks, Favio! Hope this helps with your grad school process 🙏🏼 all the best
Regarding thanking one’s letter recommenders. One hundred percent agree with you in writing a grateful email to them. I think depending on the degree of the professional relationship between professor and student, a $25 $tarbucks gift card is all right. I know of a few students who gave their letter recommenders a $25 $tarbucks gift card or a small item symbolizing the professor’s interest or specialty.
Hi Hailey! Thank you for making this video and for the template. Definitely using your tips. I am applying for Fall 2022 to my dream graduate school, I don’t think I will get in though. My timing is such this year because of life and the global pandemic. I hope the professors I ask will be willing. Again, thank you for your tips and your video.
@HaileyDollarGoesToCollege
2 жыл бұрын
hope it all works out for you!
@ChiaraJade811
2 жыл бұрын
Thank You Hailey! Your LOR tips really helped me a lot in getting letters from my former professors. Now it is the waiting . . . putting it out of my mind until next year in the spring. Will let them and you know the results.
Transferring to ucla in the fall for environmental science. Kinda nervous for everything to be mostly normal again. Thank for all your help :)
@HaileyDollarGoesToCollege
3 жыл бұрын
Good luck to you! I’m sure you’ll have a great time
Hi, I am curious what you would have used as the subject heading for your example email? Thanks!
@HaileyDollarGoesToCollege
2 жыл бұрын
Something like "Recommendation Request - (Your Name)" would be sufficient.
Hello Hailey, Is it possible to retake community college courses for student's 2nd chance if students are rejected by all universities for transfer application?
@HaileyDollarGoesToCollege
3 жыл бұрын
Hi there, I believe you can retake classes up to 3 times at the community college level, but there won't necessarily be a need to retake a class unless you did not pass it. Or if you performed poorly in the courses required for your major.
I just graduated cc. Do you need to ask for a new lor for every single internship or can u use the same one? Also, I don’t know about any particular internship I’m applying to, do I just tell my prof I’m currently looking for internships ?
@HaileyDollarGoesToCollege
3 жыл бұрын
Hello there, I wouldn’t personally ask for an LOR unless it is required for a program that you are applying to. It is best if it is specific to the program that you are applying to. In my experience, not many internships have requested an LOR, but it will vary by employer.