Recommendations

Need a letter of recommendation? A few suggestions and observations:

• I appreciate your trust in asking me for a letter! However, many students have only taken my large undergraduate courses. As a result, I have not been able to directly observe their participation in section and on other assignments, and my letters will reflect this. You may be better off with a letter from one of your smaller classes.

• Ask early! Don't wait until the last minute.

• With your request, tell me to what program you are applying, remind me of your previous contact with me (courses, research assistance, etc), and include a transcript. 

• Privacy! Be sure to complete and include THIS FORM authorizing me to release information about you.

• Ask again! Faculty are busy and it's ok to remind me as deadlines approach.

• Let me know how it goes! I love to hear how our UCSD students are succeeding and achieving their goals.

• Some scholarships make unreasonable demands on letter-writers. If the process is excessive, I will mail a letter the old-fashioned way. Make sure that the program to which you are applying will accept mail letters.