The Office of Undergraduate Research hosted a virtual event about around letters of recommendation on Wednesday, Jan. 31. This webinar gave imperative information for every student, but especially those applying to higher education and/or programs outside of the traditional plan of study. There, it was made clear that relationship needed for a student to ask faculty for this type of letter cannot be made in a day. Even if you have corresponded with and gotten to know a faculty member in the past, both parties should know each other and their academic careers equally well for a strong letter of recommendation to take shape.
Hosted by the Assistant Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, Melissa Berkey, the entire process was outlined in thorough detail, as she made it clear that “these letters carry weight.” Joining her were two Peer Research Ambassadors: Emma Beard and Sana Gupta. They are both seniors who have recently applied to graduate school, so they have already had to request letters of recommendation in the past. Given their positions as undergraduate researchers, with Beard majoring in molecular and cell biology while Gupta is majoring in statistics and minoring in math, they had grown close to faculty members in those departments. Although Beard was written a letter by one of her favorite Liberal Arts professors, she quickly realized the professor’s input towards her getting into a STEM program may not be less valued by the program than a letter from someone who teaches and researches in STEM. While it would have been helpful in high school to have a teacher vouch for their favorite student for undergraduate studies, high-level programs want to know how you have contributed to your field so far and what you will be able to do based on the words of other professionals.
If you feel overwhelmed by these testimonies, do not be. Gupta asked for a letter of recommendation from her academic advisor; we all have one. While they are mainly there to assist you with picking classes, many of them teach and conduct research. They are important people to engage with since you can discuss what they do outside of advising and build that bond, which could eventually land you a letter. Additionally, they have access to your grades and course history, essentially giving them a second-hand account as to why they should write a letter for you.
Storrs is a large campus with a disproportionate amount of advisors to students, so they may not know you well yet, but taking a class with them can further your likelihood of earning a letter from them. In the same way, you can strike a professor’s interest by talking with them after class to make you stand out from the crowd; that way, there is more than just a grade associated with your name. The hardest part is finding some faculty members who would be willing to write letters of recommendation for you, yet there is still preparation needed on your part to make the letter come to fruition.
The biggest point made by Berkey is to make it as easy on the faculty as possible. Provide your intentions to ask for a letter of recommendation by email to let them consider the task and do it well before any deadlines for your programs arrive. There are templates on OUR’s website to help craft this proposition.
You will want to arrange a meeting with this person to set up an appropriate space to give your materials. These may include your resume and cover letter, along with the details they should know about the program you are applying for. There may also be a place they need to submit the letter since your letter may be confidential, meaning you cannot read it. During your meeting, you are encouraged to emphasize details that you would like highlighted in the letter, but once they are written, programs usually require letters to be withheld from the applicant.
Being respectful and well-meaning while getting to know and asking for a letter from this person is more likely to create a “detailed, personalized and enthusiastic” letter that, according to Berkey, will have a good chance at enhancing your application. There is also a chance that the person will not write the letter for you, in which case, be thankful for their time and let them know you are grateful for their consideration. The rejection could have resulted from a variety of reasons, so there is no guarantee that they will not write one for you in the future.
Remember that faculty members are not these larger-than-life individuals who turn you down because your cause is not worth their time. Beard stated: “Writing letters is kind of part of the job description,” so professors will likely do so if you reciprocate the effort it takes for them to write it by being organized and understanding of their schedule.