Determining Who to Ask for Letters of Recommendation
This post is part of a series on how to get great letters of recommendation to grad school.
Generally you will want to ask for three letters of recommendation per application.
Let’s start out by describing your ideal letter writer:
The ideal person to write your letter of recommendation will be: A well-known academic faculty member (professor) who: knows you personally, does work in the field you want to work in, you have taken multiple classes with and received A’s, you have done an independent research project with by working in their lab and published a peer reviewed paper with.
Stressed yet? Don’t worry too much… it is pretty hard to meet all of these criteria, let alone meet them with three different people.
These are the qualities you should look for in a potential letter writer, we will briefly touch on each one:
Someone who knows you
It is very difficult to write a good letter of recommendation without being able to speak to your personal strengths. Pick people who know you well and can speak confidently about your academic strengths. On top of that, pick people who you have a good working relationship with (AKA, pick professors who like you).
Someone who is well known in your field
Academia is an incredibly small world within in a given field. It is entirely possible that the professors reading your letter of recommendation will personally know your letter writer. This will (usually) work in your favor as it gives weight and legitimacy to the letter. It is human nature to trust people that you know, so this can actually be quite important. When in doubt, choose the more famous person.
A faculty member (professor)
While there are exceptions to this rule, it is usually best if your letters come from academic faculty members. Professors working on admissions committees will typically respect the word of other professors much more than they will people outside of academia. It may not be the best thing about academics, but it is usually true nonetheless.
Someone who holds the degree you are seeking
If you have done an extensive internship/ research/ work outside of academia (and in your field of interest!) it may be appropriate to ask for letters of recommendation from a direct supervisor from that role who is not a professor (but still works academically in your field). However, it is nice if they hold the degree you are seeking. It would be difficult for someone who only holds a BS in your field to attest that you have the academic skills necessary to succeed in a PhD or Masters program.
Someone you have taken coursework with (and done well)
Ideally choose professors who you have taken multiple courses with and achieved ‘A’s in those classes. This is an easy talking point for professors to lengthen and strengthen their letters of rec.
Someone you have done research with or worked in their lab
Admissions committees want to hear about your ability to conduct high-level academic research in your field. Whether it was a senior honors project, an independent research project, an internship, a Research Experience for Undergrads (REU) program, or in your job, what matters here is that they can speak to your ability to do independent and high-level research. You want to convey that you know how to think like a scientist, and these are the kinds of letter writers who will attest to that.
My advice would be to try to cover your bases as best you can. Make a list of 4-6 potential letter writers and see how many of these qualities they each possess. If it is difficult to decide, choose the ones who likes you the best and who are known for going out of their way to help students. It is very possible that in addition to writing you a letter, a caring professor may even pick up the phone and call a colleague directly to recommend you (Do not ask for this)... so at the end of the day, choose the people who are most willing to help you succeed- from them you will get the most glowing letters. Also, don’t forget to stay organized!
Finally, a word on Who Not to Ask For a Letter of Recommendation:
Do not ask:
Friends
Graduate Students (You may have worked closely with them, but make sure to at least have the PI’s signature on the official letter)
Family Members (with the rare exception that your family member meets all of the other criteria above, and even then it’s best avoided)
Coworkers
A supervisor/boss from outside of your field (especially from outside of academia)- for example, do ask your boss from your college side-job. They may love you as a person and know you very well, but they will not be able to sufficiently advocate for you academically.
This article is a part of a series, here are the links to the other articles:
Inro to letters of recommendation