Emailing a professor to set up a letter of recommendation request

[Danny L]

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I just finished a course/final with a professor who I want to ask for a letter of recommendation. I wanted to wait until after the final to make sure I kept my good grade in the class instead of asking earlier.

The problem now is that the semester is over this weekend and I don't know when he will have office hours next semester.

I figured I should write him an email but I wanted to make the request for the letter in person (and so I could provide him the necessary info and give him the opportunity to ask me any questions about myself to improve the letter). However if I write an email I feel it will be pretty obvious that I'm going to ask for a letter

Any advice on how to do this? Is asking over email then setting up an appointment even a bad thing?

Thanks!

 

[aldol16]

I really don't see people's concern with asking over email. If he/she knows you well enough, he/she will answer the email. Yes, academics are busy and the email might get buried. If you don't get an email back in a week or two, it's okay to send another one (and CC the secretary/assistant so it becomes easier to ask about it. If you don't get a response to the second email, think about your relationship with that professor and whether there's an equal or better alternative.

 

[aalamruad]

I really don't see people's concern with asking over email. If he/she knows you well enough, he/she will answer the email. Yes, academics are busy and the email might get buried. If you don't get an email back in a week or two, it's okay to send another one (and CC the secretary/assistant so it becomes easier to ask about it. If you don't get a response to the second email, think about your relationship with that professor and whether there's an equal or better alternative.

Nah it's way better to ask in person. It's not a matter of whether or not they'll agree to write the letter, it's mostly just a matter of demonstrating respect when asking for a big and potentially life-changing favor.

 

[starspells]

I just finished a course/final with a professor who I want to ask for a letter of recommendation. I wanted to wait until after the final to make sure I kept my good grade in the class instead of asking earlier.

The problem now is that the semester is over this weekend and I don't know when he will have office hours next semester.

I figured I should write him an email but I wanted to make the request for the letter in person (and so I could provide him the necessary info and give him the opportunity to ask me any questions about myself to improve the letter). However if I write an email I feel it will be pretty obvious that I'm going to ask for a letter

Any advice on how to do this? Is asking over email then setting up an appointment even a bad thing?

Thanks!

Asking over email is not necessarily bad but if you have the option to ask in person I think you should.

@Catalystik gave some good advice on how to do it here: https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/lor-who-might-not-know-my-name.1119453/#post-16149004

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

You can ask via email. I've done it multiple times. Just be professional. Do you think he makes every professional request in person? As long as you write it in a professional manner, it'll perfectly fine.

And if he responds affirmatively, you can send your CV to him right away.

 

[aldol16]

Nah it's way better to ask in person. It's not a matter of whether or not they'll agree to write the letter, it's mostly just a matter of demonstrating respect when asking for a big and potentially life-changing favor.

This isn't how it's viewed at all. If all correspondence is done via email, then there's a problem. But if you ask via email and set up a meeting to discuss, then that's okay. Professors are busy people and may even appreciate that you thought out the logistics and aren't wasting their time pointlessly or cornering them when they're on their way to an important teleconference. Many times, it's graduate students like me who will write the letters anyway - especially if it's a bigger lecture course and we have much more contact with you than professors.

 

[aalamruad]

This isn't how it's viewed at all. If all correspondence is done via email, then there's a problem. But if you ask via email and set up a meeting to discuss, then that's okay. Professors are busy people and may even appreciate that you thought out the logistics and aren't wasting their time pointlessly or cornering them when they're on their way to an important teleconference. Many times, it's graduate students like me who will write the letters anyway - especially if it's a bigger lecture course and we have much more contact with you than professors.

I interpreted your post as referring to asking for the LOR over email, not asking for a meeting over email. The latter is obviously fine

 

[aldol16]

I interpreted your post as referring to asking for the LOR over email, not asking for a meeting over email. The latter is obviously fine

By my post, here's what I meant. One can write something along the lines of, "I would like to ask if you feel comfortable writing me a strong letter of recommendation and if so, if you are available to meet to discuss my application, etc." If the professor is willing to invest the time in writing you a strong letter, he or she will not blow off your email. Sure, it may get buried but that's why a follow-up after 2 weeks is acceptable. You waste less of their time and your time if you don't corner them during office hours when other students may be in there who are having trouble with the class. If they agree to write your letter then, they'll still ask you to set up a meeting with them to discuss it. So doing the first part via email streamlines it for all parties.