Are you looking for a letter of recommendation from me for an internship, scholarship, or post-bachelor's degree study? If you are a student who has worked with me or taken one of my courses, please consider the following. Please note that, depending on the year and what I've been teaching, I may get more than a couple hundred recommendation forms to complete. To make sure this venture is a good use of our time, please read on...
Can I write a reasonable letter for you?
A letter of recommendation is typically required to supplement the rest of an application package. Its purpose is not to repeat vague information that can be gleaned from an application form or a resume, but rather, to provide a more personal, in-depth look at the way you work - be it in a collaborative research project or a course that you took with me. The content of the letter is a personal account of my interactions with you and why I am qualified to attest to your ability to be successful for the venture to which you are applying.
Therefore, the strongest letters I can write are for people who meet as many of the following attributes as possible:
You worked with me on a research project, as a teaching assistant/fellow in one or more of my courses, or closely through some extracurricular like AIChE.
Your average GPA in courses you've taken with me is a 2.5 or greater.
You have interacted with me in some way outside of a lecture course (came to office hours several times, spoke before/after class, or completed a lab course where we worked together closely in some way).
Our interactions include specific examples of your abilities as they pertain to the letter you are requesting.
I serve(d) as your academic advisor.
Additionally, the most important detail is timing: I need you to make your request(s) all at once, and at least two weeks before the deadline of the first application.
But, there is also a dealbreaker: If I have written letters for you in the past, and you did not finish your application, did not pick up your letters, or otherwise misused our time, I must ask that you consider other options.
If you meet none of the above bulleted list, I am so far removed from you that I would not be able to personalize a letter for you. I'm sorry. I want you to have a strong application, so please ask someone who can write you a stronger letter of support in the time frame you have to work with.
If you have less than two weeks to the application deadline, or you are making additional requests in the same academic year, please note that I may not be able to complete your letter in time. I must give preference to those who help me stay organized, so everyone gets the strongest letters they can get from me!
If you meet only one or perhaps two of the above bulleted items, please understand that my letter cannot be particularly strong - and I want you to succeed, regardless of how well I know you. If you recognize that I am not particularly qualified to speak to your specific skills and abilities, but just need "a letter," let me know. I can supply a "generic" letter in this case.
If you have determined that you still want a letter from me, and waive your right to view my letter, please electronically provide me with the items listed in the next section.
Do you have all the information I need to meet your request?
If you meet several to all of the above list items (and not the dealbreaker, of course!), have at least two weeks notice before the recommendation is due, waive your right to view my recommendation, and believe that I am able to write you a strong letter, then please feel free to contact me as soon as possible at my UD e-mail address and electronically provide me with the following. If you are making multiple requests, please do so all at once and organize all your information carefully! Once I have written letters for you, priority goes to those who have not yet made requests this academic year.
Any forms in your possession that require input from me. (Note, if you're applying to be a university tutor, this is actually the only thing I need. You can skip the rest of this list.)
A current version of a resume or CV, or a link to your electronic portfolio.
A brief (no more than 2 pages; and usually more like 2 paragraphs, but it depends on your situation/judgment) informal letter, in which you tell me who you are, what you are applying for, what specifically I should address in writing your letter for you, and (this is the most important part) what our interactions have been. If you have a specific "story" that helps me illustrate skills you know are valuable to the experience, that makes it so much better! I am looking for evidence to support the argument that you have the skills needed to be successful, and specific examples to help you stand out! Obviously I can't in good faith write about something I haven't witnessed through our interactions, so while it's fine to tell me more about yourself that I don't already know, that doesn't help me write a better letter. I can only write about what I have personally observed. Please remind me which courses/semesters we interacted in, and what grade(s) you earned in coursework (if applicable). Please note that I am not asking you to write your recommendation letter on my behalf. I find that is not helpful and not ethical, and I will not even read such a letter.
Download the Recommendation Deadlines Template located at the bottom of this webpage and fill it in with your information. Fill out each column, one row for each recommendation you are requesting. All columns should be filled in. Take care with the due date cell to make sure you also include the year; otherwise when I sort my file I might miss a deadline! Sort the requests by due date when you are finished. (If you only need one recommendation, I still need this spreadsheet, since I copy/paste rows into a master file.)
Optionally, a PDF of a flier with information about the opportunity/ies for which you are applying.
Optionally, any other specific information that I may need to successfully get your recommendation where it needs to be.
I will be in touch with you as soon as I am able to follow up on your request.
I understand that many Engineering 101 students will require letters of recommendation for early opportunities in your career. Please recognize that in some semesters I may have many letters to write for such students, and be sure to organize your request clearly. If you are not majoring in chemical engineering, understand that there is a "statute of limitations" of sorts for me to write you a letter - it will be much stronger to make connections with faculty in your own major than rely on your first-year engineering instructor for letters! Likewise, if you are a UMBC student who hasn't kept in touch, it is better to reach out to current faculty there.
Can I accommodate the quantity of letters you need?
If you have only taken one class with me and follow all of the above guidelines, I will write up to eight recommendations for you.
If you have taken more than one class with me and follow all of the above guidelines, I will write up to ten recommendations for you.
If you are graduating or graduated and follow all of the above guidelines, I will write as many letters as you need me to (though please seek advice - from you academic advisor, research advisor, and/or me - if you're thinking of applying to a zillion grad schools. You can only attend one in the end!).
Best wishes for all of your pursuits,
Dr. Enszer
January 2020