LOR Gifts?

[kstoothfairy]

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I was thinking of sending a gift card (max $10) along with thank you notes for the people that have written my LOR's. Appropriate or no?

Background: one is my PI for my research, one is a dentist I worked for for over 3 years, and the third is the director of my masters program (and the one I'm least familiar with).

 

[BruinDentist]

I would advise you NOT to give any gifts of any kind. It puts the recommender in an awkward position in terms of receiving compensation for a letter. A simple thank you will suffice.

 

[518590]

I would advise you NOT to give any gifts of any kind. It puts the recommender in an awkward position in terms of receiving compensation for a letter. A simple thank you will suffice.

Although simple thank you will suffice, my professors were extremely thankful for receiving a gift.

I just gave them tea bags that I had in gift wraps.

 

[Glimmer1991]

You could always make them a cake or cookies!

 

[SicEm]

I made a donation to charity in their name along with a thank you card...it shows your appreciation without risking them thinking they're getting "compensated" (which I doubt they would but whatever)

 

[hunterx2]

i would send a $10 gift card for Christmas. Not now though.

 

[hellobruin]

I think the gift just needs some genuine appreciation and personal touch to it so that the gift says, "I really appreciate you writing me a letter" vs "Here's compensation for the letter you wrote me." It also shouldn't be anything over $15-20.

I knew someone who always talked about their wines with their dentist, so he got the dentist one of his favorite, reasonably priced wines. Other people give sets of chocolates, a mug from the school they got into, etc.

And attaching a thank you card is a must, I'd say.

But yeah, I don't think you should send gifts just yet haha. It's a bit too early for that. Christmas sounds good.

 

[kstoothfairy]

I didn't think of sending something later, but I love this idea. Thank you!

 

[ToothbrushBuddy]

I sent $5 Starbucks gift cards and thank you letters to mine, but I don't know if it was totally appropriate.