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Requesting a letter of recommendation

Letters of recommendation are an important part of your application to future study.  I get a lot of requests each year, and so I have guidelines about what I need to write strong letters.

ASK EARLY.  I only keep a list of 20 letter requests at a time, when that list is full, I cannot take on more letters.  Each letter takes me about 90 minutes to write, and so the letter quality goes down if I take on too many commitments.  I will only add students to the list who send me all of their materials at least 30 days before their first due date.

ASK A PROFESSOR WHO KNOWS YOU. If I know you well, I can write a personalized letter.  But if you’ve taken my class(es) but never spoken with me, I can only write about what I see in your transcript and bio.  This is transparent to your audience, so be sure to choose a professor with whom you’ve had personal interactions.  I prefer to write letters for students who have earned a B+ or better in my classes.

BE ORGANIZED.  Please send me all of your materials (see list below) 30 days or more before your first due date.  Send everything in 1 email with the due date in the subject (example: Taylor Swift LOR due 5/1).

Required Materials:

  • A short, informal biography.  Please make this 1-2 paragraphs long and describe why you’re drawn to the vocation you’re headed towards.  Highlight any things you’d like me to bring up in my letter, like internship experience or volunteering.
  • An unofficial transcript
  • A photograph of yourself
  • A list of applications with due dates
  • The completed waiver form if you’re using the preprofessional office
  • On any sites where your letter is heading, please fill out my information ahead of time (this cuts down how much time I have to spend on each letter!). My info goes like this: Elizabeth Co, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Biology Department, Boston University, 590 Commonweath Ave, 02215, 617-353-5564, eco@bu.edu.  Thanks!

Freequently Asked Questions

How important is the 30 days notice?

Crutially important.  I am typically juggling a lot of tasks, including letters and writing deadlines for my books and lectures and meetings. I organize my time carefully and can’t usually do a good job on a last minute letter.

How long do you keep my letter?

I use cloud storage for saving the letters.  I still have letters from 2010! If you need to come back and request a modified letter, I can do that!

I got an A- in one of your classes, but a B in the other. Can I still ask for a letter?

Yes, however, this is a stronger yes for a student I know well.  If I know you, I have lots of positive things to talk about other than your grades, but if I know you less well or we never spoke, I don’t have a lot to fill that letter.

Instead of a bio, can I just send you the personal statement that I wrote for my application?

You can, but please remember that I set aside 90 minutes per letter.  If you bomb me with reading material, I have less time to write.  Keep the writing as brief as you can to maximize the time I write on your behalf!