Requesting Faculty Recommendations

You will need two letters of recommendation, preferably from your professors or instructors, to complete your SROP application. After you Finalize the online application form, you will be given instructions to print out and give to your recommenders.

You should print out copies of the request for a recommendation and deliver one to each of your recommenders. You should keep an extra copy in your file in case you need to send a reminder to your recommenders. You might also cut and paste the information into an email request to your recommenders. They need to submit their recommendations using the SROP website. We may contact the references directly to confirm their recommendation information.

It is important to check the status of your application to ensure that we receive your recommendations. Both recommendations need to be completed online by March 1, 2008 .

Some guidelines to help you secure the strongest recommendations:

• Ask for recommendations from someone who knows your work and can comment specifically on your performance, particularly in the fields of study related to your desired research area. Recommendations carry more weight if they are from professors or instructors who know you.
• Advisors and honors or other program directors can comment on your overall achievement, but generally, they cannot evaluate your experience in your field of study.
• It is not a good idea to submit recommendations from neighbors, church ministers, employers (unless related to your research area) or others who know you outside of an academic or research context.
• Early in the application process, visit your recommenders during office hours or schedule an appointment to discuss your SROP plans and your graduate school goals. Your recommenders can often help you shape your research interests and may help you select institutions to target for SROP.
• Give your recommenders a short resume of your experience and areas of interest. Remind them about a project or paper you completed in their class. What grade did you make? Was there something about that project that stands out?
• Once you complete the online application, give your recommenders the instructions for completing the online recommendation form. The instruction sheet will have a website address and your application ID number which your recommenders will need in order to submit the recommendation.
• Monitor your application status to ensure that the recommendations are submitted on time.

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