To make things easier for you and for me, I’ve created a Google form where you can submit letter of recommendation requests. Click here for the form, but not until after you read the rest of this page.
If you would like me to write a letter of recommendation, I’ll need a few documents from you.
The little bit of time it’ll take you to prepare them will more than pay off in the strength of the letter I can write. And you can reuse most of this material for future letters from me or others.
- Your resume
- Your transcript
- Whatever application essays/statements/cover letter you have
- And then a page or two of (informal) writing about yourself, covering as much of the following as relevant:
- Where you’re from (in whatever sense that question is most meaningful to you)
- Noteworthy experiences/accomplishments before UVA, and those during UVA but outside coursework
- Your path at UVA—how did your interests and goals changed while you were here, or have your original commitments been reinforced?
- What strengths of yours you’d especially like me to mention
- Anything on your transcript or resume that it would be helpful for me to address (like a relatively low grade, a gap, etc.)
- Anything else you’d like me to address that I don’t know
With thanks to Prof. Ira Bashkow for this idea and for sharing his list.
David Singerman 