Need advice on requesting letters of rec

[bearcat7]

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Hello,

I'm planning on applying next cycle, and I was hoping to get some advice on how I should request my letters of rec. I finished my undergrad last May, so I'm planning on asking some of my former professors for letters. Since some schools have the teaching-letter requirement, I'm going to have to ask professors that may not know me very well (and may not even remember my name).

I'm planning on going in person to meet with each professor, but, unfortunately, I moved after graduation and going back to campus requires some travel arrangements. What do you guys think is the best way to set up a meeting? Is an e-mail asking them for a meeting to discuss a letter of rec OK? What else should I include in the e-mail, and is it a good idea to send it out before the semester starts? Or should I just try to figure out when their office hours are and show up without an appointment? Thanks for your help!

 

[JdogDMD]

I think an email would be fine since you would have to travel to see them. I asked all of my professors during spring break and that seemed to be plenty of time to get them all finished. I would just write a short note about applying to dental school and that you enjoyed their class and thought they would write a fair letter for you. It doesn't have to be anything too special. Once they agree then maybe you could set up a time to go see them and talk with them for a while so they can get to know you. Good luck!!

 

[CalBearr]

Hello,

I'm planning on applying next cycle, and I was hoping to get some advice on how I should request my letters of rec. I finished my undergrad last May, so I'm planning on asking some of my former professors for letters. Since some schools have the teaching-letter requirement, I'm going to have to ask professors that may not know me very well (and may not even remember my name).

I'm planning on going in person to meet with each professor, but, unfortunately, I moved after graduation and going back to campus requires some travel arrangements. What do you guys think is the best way to set up a meeting? Is an e-mail asking them for a meeting to discuss a letter of rec OK? What else should I include in the e-mail, and is it a good idea to send it out before the semester starts? Or should I just try to figure out when their office hours are and show up without an appointment? Thanks for your help!

Definitely plan out a meeting in advance and politely make sure that they know you're coming from a distance. You could easily end up with a wasted trip if you try to wing it at office hours or something like that. I'd start with an email requesting a meeting to discuss a LOR. Have a packet ready that includes your transcript, personal statement, CV, specific directions for AADSAS, etc. prepared that you can give to your writer. Being professional and organized will go a long way in that regard. I found that meeting in person made it easier to gauge your writer's enthusiasm for the letter, so I'd recommend the face-to-face meeting. In your case, however, if you know a professor fairly well and can sense the enthusiasm over the email reply, then you might be able to save yourself a trip by just forwarding everything I mentioned electronically--although I'd still say that's risky and not your best bet. Good luck!

 

[bearcat7]

Thanks for the advice! Do you guys think it's a good idea to ask professors 1-2 weeks before the semester starts or is it better to wait until afterwards?

 

[vellnueve]

I went back to my school and literally just walked in and asked each one, none of whom knew me well. They all wrote them after I provided them with copies of my old papers etc. Helped that I lived down the street from the school.

 

[kevinrho]

bearcat7, I'm in the same exact situation as you are. I'm glad you started this thread because I was planning to sooner or later. My problem..... I live 4 hours away from where I attended undergrad. I have to make it happen somehow though, the only problem.... I know he wants me to write my own letter first.....=/

 

[LittleTomato]

Sending an e-mail to schedule a meeting is a great start.

If it is a professor that doesn't know you particularly well, I would suggest putting together a CV with all your activities, awards, volunteer, and work experiences. Put down the name of your TA as a reference if you had a good relationship and perhaps some other people like employers or volunteer coordinators that know you well. Also bring a copy of your DAT scores if you have taken the test already. This way, she/he can say more than "she did really well on such and such a test and sat in the first row every day."

Having a CV will REALLY help you write your personal statement as well, so trust me, it is time well spent.

However, you might run into the problem that your professors will ignore your e-mails. I actually had this happen to me. I hadn't taken a lot of upper-level Bio classes at that point so I couldn't really pick and choose who I asked and I needed this letter! So I sat outside that professor's office for an hour until he finally showed up. It is harder for them to ignore you in person, but use showing up without an appointment as a last resort. 🙂

 

[dantemac]

I asked my professors/dentist for letters in January via e-mail. If they lived far away, when they said yes I e-mailed them again thanking them and sent them my resume / personal statement (if they asked for it). If they were still on campus, I followed up with a visit to drop off a folder of my personal statement and resume. Some professors wanted to have a meeting and ask me more, some just took the folder and said they'd get it done.

The last thing I did was follow up on finals week to make sure they were done. All of them were done and in. I thanked them again for their time.

Over the course of the application cycle, I still talked to some of the people about which schools I got interviews at/accepted, if I was close to them.

 

[bearcat7]

Another question for you guys: I did research under a professor for the last 2 years of my undergrad, but nearly all of my interaction during that time was with a grad student. Should I ask the grad student for a letter first and then ask the professor to co-sign it later? Or should I just ask the professor? I'm sure I can get a stronger and more personal letter from the grad student, so what's the best thing to do in this situation? Thanks!

 

[bearcat7]

Hi all,

I have another question for you guys. I sent out e-mails a couple weeks back, but one of my professors hasn't responded. How should I follow-up? Should I just re-send my original e-mail, or should I politely ask him if he read my first-email? Thanks for the help!

 

[Chowder]

bumpity