Guidelines for Requesting Faculty References

Faculty members are faced with numerous requests to write letters of reference on behalf of students. For this reason, it is wise to allow at least two months for a professor to prepare a letter. If special circumstances such as an unexpected opportunity require shorter notice, ask whether it will be possible for him/her to meet your deadline. When requesting a letter of reference, it is helpful to set up an appointment with the professor to discuss your plans. In order to facilitate what is a time-consuming process, always provide a potential referee with appropriate information to help in writing a letter about you. Suggestions are listed below. It is important to remember that faculty members are not required to write these letters, so be careful to give them the option to decline. They may feel they do not know you well enough, or that your record is not strong enough for admission to a given program.

Faculty will find it useful to have the following information:

1. A resume or fact sheet about you. Sample resumes are available on this site and in the Center for Work and Service. You might wish to add to this a brief narrative highlighting talents, skills, and experiences, such as a particularly rigorous part of your record, the leadership roles which you have held, or an unusual study or travel experience.
2. A transcript and a list of courses you took with the faculty member and grade(s) received.
3. Copies of particularly good papers or exams submitted to the faculty member with their comments and grades.
4. The guidelines for the intellectual/personal qualities of the program/fellowship for which you are applying. If you are applying to graduate school in the faculty’s academic discipline, this is not necessary. If you are applying for a job or internship, provide a description of the position and the organization.
5. A personal statement, if required by the program.
6. The completed Center for Work and Service or institution Letter of Reference/Waiver form. Think carefully about whether or not you want to waive your right to read your letter of reference. While admissions officers respect that it is within your legal right not to sign a waiver, some schools may take confidential letters more seriously. Faculty also have the right to refuse to write a letter that is not confidential.
7. A copy of these guidelines.
   

Please note: If you are asking a faculty member to attach his or her letter of reference to a graduate school application form, be sure that you have accurately and completely filled out that form.