As a Carleton student, you will have a strong advantage on the recommendation front, because most professors here make it a priority to get to know individual students. This is often not the case at larger universities, where the majority of professor-student interactions are in large lecture classes. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can take your relationships with your profs here for granted.
Below is a list of suggestions for both the short and long-term to help you build these connections in the hopes of obtaining strong recommendation letters — and, of course, a meaningful experience at Carleton.
Advice for asking recommenders
Don’t be nervous!
Writing recommendation letters is part of a professor’s responsibilities, and most therefore already have time built into their schedule to do this. Therefore, don’t feel like you are bothering them: they are happy to help. However, keep in mind that you are not entitled to a letter. Profs might have to say no if they are on sabbatical, traveling or otherwise busy — but most of the time, they’ll say yes.
Ask early.
If you have never asked this prof for a recommendation, you need to ask them at least three weeks before the deadline. If they have already written one for you, two weeks before the deadline is likely sufficient.
You can even ask for a recommendation if you’re not sure what you’re applying for yet. That way, when you do end up selecting a program(s), securing a recommender is one less thing you have to worry about.
Organize your list of applications.
Make your recommender’s life easier by communicating all the recommendations you need from them at the same time and in a easily understood way, such as by sending them a central spreadsheet with application name, deadline, and submission information.
Provide more information about yourself.
A prof who hasn’t seen you outside of the classroom might want more information about you and your interests before writing a letter. Be prepared to send them a resume (including non-academic interests and activities) and a synopsis of why you are applying to your programs and how it aligns with your interests and future goals. Sometimes, sharing a draft of your personal statement is an easy way to share this information. Ask if they would like to see this (it’s often a way to get feedback, too!).
Don’t be afraid to remind them.
If a month has gone by and the prof still hasn’t sent in your recommendation, don’t hesitate to politely remind them, especially if you haven’t discussed it or seen them in person during that time frame. Profs can forget, and it’s best to err on the side of caution when applying.
Who to ask
General Advice
Consider the following:
- Are they a prof in the field your internship is in?
- Do you get along with them/ have a personal connection with them?
- Did you do well in their class?
- Did you go to their office hours often?
If you answered “Yes!” to at least two of those questions, then they are likely to be a good recommender. Don’t rule out profs whose classes you didn’t get great grades in. Profs can still comment on your effort, attitude, and class participation, which will appeal to those reading your application.
For first-years
- A&I professor
- Academic advisor
- FOCUS faculty mentor
- STEM instructor whose class you took
For sophomores and juniors
- Research supervisor
- STEM instructors whose class you took
- FOCUS faculty mentor
- A prof you TA/LA/prefect for
- Lab class instructor
Asking Non-Carleton people
This can be trickier, so allow for more time and reach out to the FOCUS Coordinator, your academic adviser, or the Career Center about how to best approach this. Some employers can only confirm employment, rather than write a personalized letter of recommendation, in which case you would want to pursue different options. In addition to giving greater notice of the deadline, you should email them a reminder as the deadline approaches.
In general, before you leave any opportunity or experience you have, make sure to ask your supervisor/boss whether you can ask them for a recommendation in the future. This just sets up an easier ask when you contact them to write you a letter. If you have not done that, then make sure to ask them as early as possible if they would be willing and then following up with which application you are using their letter in. If the person is in Industry then you might have to give them more than two weeks — and also remind them a week before the deadline. Some employers can only confirm employment, rather than write a personalized letter of recommendation. If this is the case for any of your employers, don’t include them in your submitted letters.
How to ensure strong recommendations in the future
Go to office hours.
This is a great way to help the prof get to know about you and the way you think about a topic. It is also useful to show the prof how much you care about the subject, which is more important than if you have a good grade in the class.
Work for the department.
If you can obtain a work-study job with the department, the prof will have a better chance of getting to know you better. Especially if you are a TA or prefect, the prof who you work for will be more able to talk about your work ethic, which will create a more meaningful letter.
Be part of the community!
Recommendations are not just about your academics but also about you as a person in general. If there are times you can volunteer around the department or attend department events, then make sure to do it. Most professors will notice who participates and who doesn’t. Department events are also great time to talk to profs to solidify your relationships.