How To Ask a Professor for a Letter of Recommendation

A letter of recommendation is a vital part of the graduate school application. This involves having a faculty member who knows your academic accomplishments and personal qualities to write to the admissions committee at the school or schools you apply to. This letter gets reviewed along with the rest of your graduate school application, including your transcripts, personal essay and test scores.

Many graduate school programs require several letters of recommendation. The multiple points of view shared in these letters give the admissions committee insights into who you are as a student.

Asking professors for a letter of recommendation for grad school can feel awkward or uncomfortable, but it is important that respected faculty members refer you to your post-baccalaureate degree program. Keep in mind that when figuring out how to ask a professor to be a reference, you aren’t the first student to do so. It’s common for professors to draft multiple letters each year.

Before considering how to ask for a letter of recommendation, it’s important to figure out who to ask. The letters of recommendation that you include with your grad school application can greatly impact your chances of admission. Ask professors to write letters of recommendation based on how well they know you and can speak to your academic performance and classroom experience.

Professors who you ask for a letter of recommendation should:

• Know you well
• Think highly of your skills
• Describe your work and personality in a positive manner
• Know your academic and professional goals
• Be respected in their field of study
• Be a professor you respect
• Be able to articulate their thoughts about you clearly

If the schools you apply to require multiple letters of recommendation, you have the opportunity to approach several professors with your request to write letters of recommendation. Aim to ask professors who can speak about your specific accomplishments.

For example, if you assisted a professor, they could discuss your contributions to research or hands-on projects. A professor who assigned you research tasks might highlight your writing skills and critical thinking abilities.

Give a lot of thought to who you want your letters of recommendation to come from. The professors you ask should be able to speak honestly about your abilities and whether you are a good fit for the graduate program you are applying for.

Asking a professor who does not know you personally is not a good idea. Even if you earned good grades in their class, they will not be able to share about your personality and skills. Their recommendations may not be as strong as those of a professor who can vouch for both your academic and personal attributes.

Make a list of professors you would like to ask for a letter of recommendation for graduate school. Remember that professors are busy teaching classes and doing their own research, and some may not have the time to write you a letter of recommendation. Therefore, having multiple options is ideal.

Once you have identified who you would like to ask for letters of recommendation, set up a time to meet with them. Consider attending their office hours or scheduling an appointment.

Remember that any time you are busy with schoolwork, your professors are too. They are teaching courses and grading papers, doing their own research and mentoring other faculty and students, as well as managing their personal lives.

When requesting a letter of recommendation for your grad school application, plan ahead and ask well in advance. While a month might seem sufficient, busy times like finals or midterms can make it difficult for professors to accommodate your request. To ensure they have enough time, aim to ask at least six to eight weeks before the deadline, avoiding high-stress periods in the academic calendar.

You might not necessarily need to meet each professor in person to request a letter of recommendation. Professors are usually pretty busy, so sometimes email might be preferred. However, if you need to provide printed material or an addressed, stamped envelope, you will need to meet in person.

Keep your email concise and polite. Here’s a sample template you could use, but do be sure to personalize it:

Subject Line: Letter of Recommendation Request

Dear Professor (Insert name),

I’m applying to (insert name of grad school and program), and I was hoping you might have time to write a letter of recommendation. I would need to submit it by (insert date).

If you have the time and inclination to write a letter, I’m happy to pass along my resume and any other information you would need. I’d greatly appreciate your assistance, but of course, I understand if your schedule doesn’t allow for it.

Thank you,

(Insert your name)

If it’s been a while since you last took a class with that particular professor, you may need to remind them of who you are. Toward the beginning of the email, you could add some information about the class you took with them and which semester it was.

It’s important to thank each professor who wrote a letter for you soon after the letter is submitted. An email is fine, but a handwritten thank you card can make a strong impression.

It isn’t necessary to write a long note. Simply let the professor know that you appreciate them taking the time to write a letter for you and that you’re grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from them. You can also consider sending thank you notes to professors who could not write you a letter. Staying in touch with professionals in your field of study will be important for future networking.