Recommendation Letters
If you're thinking of asking me to write a letter of recommendation for you, please be aware that I'm not a faculty member. While I can and do write recommendation letters, my words will not hold the same weight as a professor's, especially one from a department like UC-Berkeley's or the University of Minnesota's. All things held constant, it is in your best interest to receive a letter from an actual faculty member. If you'd still like me to write for you, please provide all of the following in pdf form:
- Information about the application
- When is the letter due?
- If you're requesting multiple letters, please arrange them by due date.
- How is the letter to be submitted?
- If the submission is by mail, include a stamped and addressed envelope.
- Information about the program
- Where, what, and when
- Web address for the program's homepage
- Why are you applying to this program in particular?
- Information about you
- A list of courses in which I was your GSI or instructor
- An unofficial transcript; in addition, please attach a short description of any course whose subject matter isn't listed by the registrar (e.g. independent studies and seminars)
- A draft of whatever it is that you're producing as part of the application, e.g. a personal statement or essay
- Anything else which might be worth mentioning in the letter, e.g. projects you've undertaken, eventual goals, or relevant life experiences.
- [Optional] A resume or CV