Requests for Letter of Recommendation

 

Each year, many students approach me by many various methods to ask for a recommendation. I consider it an honor and appreciate you thinking of me. Understand that I usually only give recommendations to students I have had for 3 classes which often means we have had 2 classes together and we are currently having our third class together. You should have earned an A in at least one of the classes you took with me, and B or better in the other(s). On occasion, I may vary from this guideline in exceptional cases. Recommendations reflect back on me and CCRI. I feel ethically obligated to maintain and improve those reputations.

Please note that asking me in the hallway on the fly or worse yet in front of the entire class is entirely inappropriate. It puts me in an awkward positon and gives me no time to reflect on how I wish to proceed. If asked in front of others, I will most likely decline.

 

If you want a recommendation from me, please follow these steps and guidelines:

 

Send me an email with the following information:

Full name

Expected date of graduation (month, year)

Degree you are earning

Which classes we have had together and the grade you received

Where are you using the recommendation? (school, degree program, scholarship)

Answer the following questions in third person:

What did you do in class to stand out from your peers?

What did you do in class to enhance the learning of your peers?

What did you do outside of class time that sets you apart from your peers (clubs, sports, extracurricular activities, military service)?

Where do I mail the recommendation?

 

After receiving your request, typically I will email you back and ask you to write a draft response to any questions in the recommendation not answered above. This is common and 9 out of 10 people I have requested recommendations from have done the same. I will edit your draft to form my response.