How should I ask my teachers for letters of recommendation?
February 16th, 2010 | by admin |I actually have a few questions about recommendation letters.
1. How should I go about asking teachers for them?
2. Is there anything I should give my teachers if they say yes?
3. Is there anything else I should know about recommendation letters?
1. I would choose teachers with whom you have a strong, personal relationship. You certainly want to select teachers whose classes you have done well in. I would simply approach them before/after class and ask "Would you be comfortable writing a letter of recommendation for me? I am applying for …." If this is not feasible, send them an e-mail asking if they would be comfortable writing a letter of recommendation and explaining why you would like a letter from them.
2. It is customary to give the teacher an envelope in which to place their recommendation. Depending on the program you are applying for, you may need to address and stamp it separately and have the teacher sign the seal (therefore preventing any tampering with the envelopes contents). Some programs will ask that you have the professor mail the envelope separately, while some request that you include it in your general mailing.
3. Remember that the teacher is doing you a favor by writing a letter of recommendation. Try to make it as easy for them as possible, including explaining what the program is you are applying for. Do not try to dictate what the teacher says. If they ask you, be prepared to talk up a few competencies you have demonstrated in their class or activities that you feel are relevant.
Good Luck!
Tags: Competencies, E Mail, Envelopes, Good Luck, Letter Of Recommendation, Letter Recommendation, Letters Of Recommendation, Personal Relationship, Professor Mail, Recommendation Letters, Tampering, Writing A Letter, Writing A Letter Of Recommendation
By blink44sum41half on Feb 17, 2010
just ask them… they will either say yes, or they’ll say im very busy now, maybe ask another time? thats all, they know how to write a letter of recomendation so u dun needa know anything, just pick teachers that u do best in their classes n they’ll write more about u.
References :
By Mississ J on Feb 17, 2010
1. can I get a letter of recommendation.
2. no.
3. no
References :
By Craig on Feb 17, 2010
1. just ask. im sure if you are a good student they will no problem.
2. you shouldnt feel obligated to get them anything except thanks. unless you want to. maybe an apple?
3. not really. try and get it personalized but formal.
References :
By toysjoe on Feb 17, 2010
You don’t need anything special. Just say "Mr or Mrs. whatever, could you write me a recommendation letter?" They’ll say sure. Then they’ll give you a really broad letter saying stuff like TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN and a bunch of random compliments of you, blah blah blah.
References :
My experience asking teachers for these things.
By Nena on Feb 17, 2010
just ask them, keep in mind they don’t always yes so pick them wisely. and no you don’t have to give them anything.
References :
By toferkin on Feb 17, 2010
Just pick a friendly teacher, one you think would actually write a letter, and explain your situation and what you need. Some teachers will write it without bothering you, while others may want more, like an interview.
The biggest thing to remember is to give them time to write the letter. Ask far in advance, not the day before you need it.
References :
By Rayford on Feb 17, 2010
if u get good grades it’ll be easy first i would recommend gettin a little more info after class stay back and ask the teacher say sir or mam do u mind giving me a letter of recommendation it would be wonderful if so if they do give them like a little gift doesn’t have to be expensive either give em some brownies
References :
By Dave W on Feb 17, 2010
1. I would choose teachers with whom you have a strong, personal relationship. You certainly want to select teachers whose classes you have done well in. I would simply approach them before/after class and ask "Would you be comfortable writing a letter of recommendation for me? I am applying for …." If this is not feasible, send them an e-mail asking if they would be comfortable writing a letter of recommendation and explaining why you would like a letter from them.
2. It is customary to give the teacher an envelope in which to place their recommendation. Depending on the program you are applying for, you may need to address and stamp it separately and have the teacher sign the seal (therefore preventing any tampering with the envelopes contents). Some programs will ask that you have the professor mail the envelope separately, while some request that you include it in your general mailing.
3. Remember that the teacher is doing you a favor by writing a letter of recommendation. Try to make it as easy for them as possible, including explaining what the program is you are applying for. Do not try to dictate what the teacher says. If they ask you, be prepared to talk up a few competencies you have demonstrated in their class or activities that you feel are relevant.
Good Luck!
References :
By Breanna M on Feb 17, 2010
Yeah, everyone else said just to ask them. That’s all you do. =) Just ask very politely and explain what it’s for. Give them plenty of time, and make sure they know they are not rushed.
I read somewhere that you should give them a resume or something like that. That’s what i did, and my teachers really appreciated it. After a few weeks had gone by and the letter was done, I also made them all little "Thank You" baskets which they thought was very nice. You’ll feel good about it, too.
That’s all I have….you may also want to ask for a copy for future reference. A lot of scholarships need letters like this, so if you have a copy you can just photocopy it makes it a lot easier. Good luck!!!
=)
References :
By unspokenlove on Feb 17, 2010
I need a letter of recommendation for (whatever) and i was wondering if you could write it. Say thank you they know how to write them
References :
By drip on Feb 17, 2010
At our school you have to get a form to fill out first. Check with your high school to see if they have any policy on this first. Then I would just ask them. Tell them you are applying to college and would like a letter from them. Be polite. You may want to write a short note or send an email. . Teachers have a lot on their mind and could forget. Just a verbal thank you is fine. Or you could write a short thank you, saying you appreciate them taking the time to help you.
You should have two letters of recommendation. One should be from a teacher of a core subject, like math, english, science. One can be from your counselor or coach. If you know what you are majoring in getting a letter from a teacher from that subject is a good idea. My daughter is a math major, she got one letter from her calculus teacher.
References :
By Annie on Feb 17, 2010
make sure you have a resume for them to refer back to and an objective stating the purpose of the letter of recommendation.
1.then go to them and ask "Mr./Mrs _____, I was wondering if you can write me a letter of rec. for ______________________" and thank them
if they say ‘yes’, hand them the resume, its smart to put it in a folder with a color that stands out, less chance of loosing it. and make sure you give it to them well in advance before you need to turn in the letter of rec, about a month.
2.And when you go to pick up your letter, its nice to have a little thank you card for them. I personally gave them a them a thankyou letter and a huge hershys chocolate bar-they really all loved it O.O
3. pick your teachers wisely and make sure the letter is formalized
yea, this is all I can think of at the moment, good luck
References :
done it before
By Louise on Feb 17, 2010
Ask them politely when they are not busy, either in person or by e-mail.
Give them as much information as you can, both about you and about the requirements for the letter(s). Provide a resume. If there are things you hope they will include or stress, mention them. "I’m really excited about this program/job; I think it’s a good fit because of [this project I did/ my experience with my volunteer work / my Latin prize". Give them the written-down instructions about what should be in the letter and how it should be delivered.
If they agree, ask them if there’s any more information they want. Providing a stamped addressed envelope is a nice touch. Reminding them very politely about the deadline is okay too.
If they try put you off, thank them and ask them if they can suggest someone else to ask. Don’t push at all. They might mean "I am too busy", or "I don’t know you very well and can’t do a good job" or "I don’t have a very positive impression of you, and I will tell the truth." Or they might have a policy of not writing the kind of letter that the candidate gets to see.
Getting little presents after writing the letters makes me uncomfortable, because it feels like a bribe. Thank you notes are fine. Getting a note back that the person got the job or got the scholarship or decided to go to a different university is very welcome and doesn’t happen often enough.
References :