How To Ask a Professor for a Letter of Recommendation

Applying to graduate school is no small task. Before you even apply to schools, you may have to study for and pass an intense exam like the GRE, LSAT or MCAT, followed by applications that include detailed forms, essays or portfolios. Eventually, you need to get someone who knows your academic history to vouch for you. Many people wonder how to ask a professor for a letter of recommendation for graduate school.

In This Article:

• What Is a Letter of Recommendation?
• What To Include in a Letter of Recommendation
• Who To Ask for a Letter of Recommendation
• What To Do Before Asking for a Letter of Recommendation
• When To Ask for a Letter of Recommendation
• How To Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for Grad School
• How To Ask for a Letter of Recommendation Via Email (Template)
• How To Thank a Professor for Writing a Letter of Recommendation
• How To Follow Up About the Letter of Recommendation
• Choose GCU for Your College Experience

What Is a Letter of Recommendation?

A letter of recommendation is a vital part of the graduate school application. This involves having a faculty member who knows your academic accomplishments and personal qualities to write to the admissions committee at the school or schools you apply to. This letter gets reviewed along with the rest of your graduate school application, including your transcripts, personal essay and test scores.

Many graduate school programs require several letters of recommendation. The multiple points of view shared in these letters give the admissions committee insights into who you are as a student.

Asking professors for a letter of recommendation for grad school can feel awkward or uncomfortable, but it is important that respected faculty members refer you to your post-baccalaureate degree program. Keep in mind that when figuring out how to ask a professor to be a reference, you aren’t the first student to do so. It’s common for professors to draft multiple letters each year.

What To Include in a Letter of Recommendation

Ideally, a letter of recommendation will share information that cannot be gleaned from your transcripts alone. This may include information about your personal work ethic, your participation in class, your cooperation with other students and your interest in the topic of study. Your professors may also include information about the skills you have that can be transferred into a graduate program, such as creativity or perseverance.

Many grad schools will have a specific form for professors to complete. Each program is looking for a different set of skills, so it is important that your professor follows the directions of the graduate program you are applying to.

For instance, some letters of recommendation request specific examples that highlight your skills, while others may ask a professor to discuss how your abilities and qualities could contribute to success in their program. These letters are impactful because they provide insights into who you are beyond your grades and test scores.

A study of biomedical PhD students found a strong correlation between those who authored multiple first-author papers during graduate school and the positive ratings they received in letters of recommendation.¹ Publishing research is valued by graduate programs, and strong recommendation letters play a crucial role in showcasing whether you will contribute meaningfully to their academic community and the field as a whole.

Who To Ask for a Letter of Recommendation

Before considering how to ask for a letter of recommendation, it’s important to figure out who to ask. The letters of recommendation that you include with your grad school application can greatly impact your chances of admission. Ask professors to write letters of recommendation based on how well they know you and can speak to your academic performance and classroom experience.

Professors who you ask for a letter of recommendation should:

• Know you well
• Think highly of your skills
• Describe your work and personality in a positive manner
• Know your academic and professional goals
• Be respected in their field of study
• Be a professor you respect
• Be able to articulate their thoughts about you clearly

If the schools you apply to require multiple letters of recommendation, you have the opportunity to approach several professors with your request to write letters of recommendation. Aim to ask professors who can speak about your specific accomplishments.

For example, if you assisted a professor, they could discuss your contributions to research or hands-on projects. A professor who assigned you research tasks might highlight your writing skills and critical thinking abilities.

Give a lot of thought to who you want your letters of recommendation to come from. The professors you ask should be able to speak honestly about your abilities and whether you are a good fit for the graduate program you are applying for.

Asking a professor who does not know you personally is not a good idea. Even if you earned good grades in their class, they will not be able to share about your personality and skills. Their recommendations may not be as strong as those of a professor who can vouch for both your academic and personal attributes.

What To Do Before Asking for a Letter of Recommendation

Make a list of professors you would like to ask for a letter of recommendation for graduate school. Remember that professors are busy teaching classes and doing their own research, and some may not have the time to write you a letter of recommendation. Therefore, having multiple options is ideal.

Once you have identified who you would like to ask for letters of recommendation, set up a time to meet with them. Consider attending their office hours or scheduling an appointment.

When To Ask for a Letter of Recommendation

Remember that any time you are busy with schoolwork, your professors are too. They are teaching courses and grading papers, doing their own research and mentoring other faculty and students, as well as managing their personal lives.

When requesting a letter of recommendation for your grad school application, plan ahead and ask well in advance. While a month might seem sufficient, busy times like finals or midterms can make it difficult for professors to accommodate your request. To ensure they have enough time, aim to ask at least six to eight weeks before the deadline, avoiding high-stress periods in the academic calendar.

How To Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for Grad School

Think about how to ask a professor to be a reference before you meet in person. Make notes about a few projects or papers that you completed for the professor and what their comments were on your work. You can bring a copy of your work to share with them during your meeting.

You can visit your professor during office hours or request a meeting outside of office hours. Email may be the best way to schedule a meeting compared to approaching the professor after a class to request one. Email allows the professor some time to look at their schedule and figure out a good date and time.

Bring the necessary materials to your meeting with your professor, and if they say yes, provide them with: 

• A list of graduate schools you are applying to and the due dates of those applications
• Your transcripts, or at least the grades you received in the professor's class 
• A copy of your resume, including academic achievements
• Your personal statement or a short description of your goals in graduate school and your career afterward

When you arrive at the meeting, you’ll need to let the professor know that you’re there to request a letter of recommendation for grad school. Not much explanation is necessary, as professors likely hear these requests on a regular basis. You could briefly let your professor know that you’re excited to pursue your interest in a certain field or topic and what you hope to accomplish in grad school and beyond.

You might say something like, “I was hoping to talk to you about my plans for grad school. I’m interested in studying (insert field or topic here) and I wanted to ask if you have the time to write a letter of recommendation for me, please.”

During this meeting, be sure to discuss how the professor should submit the letter of recommendation if they agree to write one. This process will be determined by the schools you are applying to.

In some cases, they may need to log in to a special portal and complete their letters digitally. If your professor will need to complete the letter of recommendation online, be sure to collect and share all the information they will need, such as your full name and other personal information about you. You can attempt to log in to the portal to see what information is required, or you may need to call the school to find out how to provide that information to your professors.

Other applications may be on specific forms with a space for the professor to write their letter. Print these out and bring them with you to your meeting. Before you leave the form with your professor, fill out the rest of the information so it is ready to be turned in as soon as they complete their portion.

Some letters of recommendation can simply be letters written by the professor. They may need to be mailed or placed in a sealed envelope with their signature across the top and submitted along with the rest of your application materials. If this is the case, arrange a specific day to pick up the letter.

If a professor needs to mail the letter directly to the school, you’ll need to provide them with an addressed and stamped envelope they can use. When you make this process as streamlined and easy as possible, it shows your professor that you respect and value their time.

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Asking for a Letter of Recommendation

As important as it is to know what to include in a letter of recommendation and how to ask a professor for a letter of recommendation, it’s equally as important to know what not to do. Here are a few missteps you’ll want to avoid:

• Don’t wait until a month or less before the deadline. Provide at least six to eight weeks of notice.
• Don’t forget to provide all the materials the professor will need, such as your resume.
• Don’t forget to be polite and appreciative. If you’re told they aren’t able to write one for you, thank them for their time and let them know you completely understand.
• Don’t request that they include specific details in the letter.

How To Ask for a Letter of Recommendation via Email (Template)

You might not necessarily need to meet each professor in person to request a letter of recommendation. Professors are usually pretty busy, so sometimes email might be preferred. However, if you need to provide printed material or an addressed, stamped envelope, you will need to meet in person.

Keep your email concise and polite. Here’s a sample template you could use, but do be sure to personalize it:

Subject Line: Letter of Recommendation Request

Dear Professor (Insert name),

I’m applying to (insert name of grad school and program), and I was hoping you might have time to write a letter of recommendation. I would need to submit it by (insert date).

If you have the time and inclination to write a letter, I’m happy to pass along my resume and any other information you would need. I’d greatly appreciate your assistance, but of course, I understand if your schedule doesn’t allow for it.

Thank you,

(Insert your name)

If it’s been a while since you last took a class with that particular professor, you may need to remind them of who you are. Toward the beginning of the email, you could add some information about the class you took with them and which semester it was.

How To Thank a Professor for Writing a Letter of Recommendation

It’s important to thank each professor who wrote a letter for you soon after the letter is submitted. An email is fine, but a handwritten thank you card can make a strong impression.

It isn’t necessary to write a long note. Simply let the professor know that you appreciate them taking the time to write a letter for you and that you’re grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from them. You can also consider sending thank you notes to professors who could not write you a letter. Staying in touch with professionals in your field of study will be important for future networking.

How To Follow Up About the Letter of Recommendation

If something happens during your graduate school application process and you no longer need a letter of recommendation, let your professor know immediately. You may want to stop by during their office hours or send them an email to inform them of the change of status.

If you have not heard from your professor before the recommendation is due, consider sending a courteous email reminder about a week before the agreed-upon due date, possibly similar to: “I wanted to check and see if you needed anything from me ahead of (due date) for the letter of recommendation.”

The professors at Grand Canyon University are invested in your personal and professional goals. They write letters of recommendation to graduate school programs to help support GCU students in their academic and professional endeavors.

Choose GCU for Your College Experience

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