Recommendations

Michael P. Robinson, Dept. of Biology, University of Miami
home teaching research & CV LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION images personal links

This is an information page for people who are thinking about letters of recommendation.

If you would like a recommendation from me, please read the following and consider whether or not you should ask for one. This information is just meant to be helpful and save us all time. It is NOT meant to scare you off. If after reading this you are still not sure if you should ask me or you still wonder whom you should ask, then please do ask!

I also mean this page as an information source for beginning students who might not know what letters of rec involve. Good letters of recommendation are needed for scholarships and entry into med school, etc. And letters take a long time, so while faculty are generally happy to help with letters of rec, they also want to see that you are taking this seriously and doing your fair share. Remember, there is no rule that someone has to write you a letter.

Consider the thoughts below when you are thinking about whom to ask for a recommendation, but also consider them well before you need to ask for one. Even if you are a freshman and 3 years away from needing a recommendation, you should put yourself into a position to get a good one. That is, take a science class with low enrollment so you can stand out more easily and get to know a professor better. Do research (a great way to get a great rec). Be friendly with the faculty. Don't be fake, but treat the faculty like human beings not some person whose job is to show up and lecture at you 3 hours a week. You don't have to do all of this your 1st year, but work it into your long-term plans. (But you should always treat the faculty like human beings!)

Should you get a recommendation from me? Are you better off asking someone else?

Essentially, you need to consider what kind of a recommendation I will write and weigh that against the kind of recommendation someone else would write. These questions should help you decide.

1. How well did you do in my course(s)? Did you get at least a B? If you didn't get at least a B, then it's really hard to write you a recommendation! Were there mitigating circumstances? Well, maybe that will make the difference. But if you didn't get at least a B, you should consider asking someone in whose class you did get a B or better.

2. How well do I know you? If you were in a class of 230, and I don't really know you, well I can write a nice recommendation for you, but it won't be great. I won't be able to say much other than your grade and rank in class. I could highlight your accomplishments outside of class, but anyone else can do that, too.

What really helps with letters of rec is a personal relationship. Really knowing someone and being able to relate some anecdotes is important. I'm not saying that we need to hang out! I just mean that being able to write something specific about you related to your abilities or personality really makes a letter go over well. If you were just another face-in-the-crowd, then that will be pretty difficult to do. If I don't really know you, consider asking someone who does, especially from a smaller class where you got to interact more often with the instructor or from a research mentor.

3. Is there enough time? I need at least 2 weeks to write a good letter of rec from the date I agree to write it.

If you decide to ask me for a recommendation, please do the following:

1. Send me an email to ask. Make sure you include this file filled out. Rename the file with your last name in the file name (e.g., Smith questionnaire.doc).
This is not a guarantee I will write you a rec! This will help me decide whether or not to write one.

2. Arrange a meeting with me to discuss your recommendation. At this point I will determine whether or not to write it for you.

3. If I agree to write you a rec, do the following:
a. send me the pink sheet (not everyone will use this--this is only for UM pre-meds).
b. send me self-addressed and stamped envelopes for each recommendation
Make sure you include my return address on the envelope, too:
Michael Robinson
Dept. of Biology
Univ. of Miami
PO Box 249118
Coral Gables FL 33124
c. if this is an online recommendation, use the above and the following to fill in any information that the site requests for me:
title: Ph.D.
phone: 305-284-4313
email: mike.robinson@bio.miami.edu

4. Make sure you give me at least 2 weeks to write it once I agree to.