Letters of Recommendation: What Should I Know?

Are you applying to graduate programs and have questions about letters of recommendation? Check out these great tips from Pre-Professional Ambassador Nishva:

 

Meet Nishva! One of your OU Pre-Professional Ambassadors

If you are applying to a graduate program this cycle, March is the month to ask for letters of recommendation! When you ask your professors, supervisors, and healthcare professionals that you know.

Healthcare professional for a letter, make sure you:

  • Let them know when you need it by (due date)
  • Give them directions for uploading it
  • Give them a copy of your Curriculum Vitae or Resume
  • Give any other information about you that may be helpful to them as they write the letter
  • Give them the guidelines for the letter as specified by your particular graduate program(s)

March is also the month to contact supervisors of any extracurricular activities or jobs in preparation for your application.

  • First, get together a list of extracurricular activities, paid work, shadowing, volunteering, etc. that you will include on your application.
  • Second, identify who your supervisor was/is during that time and find an email or phone number you can contact them at. If it is ambiguous who the supervisor was/is, pick the person who can attest to your position and skills the most during that activity.
  • Third, you should contact that person to let them know that you are applying this cycle and would like to put them down as a contact for that activity/job. This way, if the school you are applying to wishes to confirm your position in that activity/job, they will be able to contact the supervisor. It is important to let your supervisors know that graduate schools may contact them so they are not surprised if the call/email comes.
  • Fourth, wait for the okay from them to use their name and contact information in your application!

It may take some time for your letter writers and supervisors to get back to you, so it is important to do this now instead of later. Following these steps will help you turn your applications in as soon as possible when the cycle opens! Don’t wait until the application opens to ask for letters of recommendation or contact information from your supervisors!