Guide to Getting Into Graduate School > Obtaining Strong Letters of Recommendation

Strong letters of recommendation are a crucial part of your application to graduate school and most programs require at least 3 letters. Your letters should contain information about your potential to be successful in graduate school. Letters of recommendation are not just handed out haphazardly by faculty. They are taken very seriously and carefully crafted to describe the intellectual ability, personal characteristics, and acquired skills that have been demonstrated by you and witnessed by the letter writer. Hence, your behaviors as a student largely determine the quality of the letters you will receive. It all begins with making a positive impression to faculty inside and outside the classroom. Faculty keep their eyes peeled for students who show signs of being eager to learn, who take pride in their own scholarly work, and who work above and beyond what is expected.

How to obtain STRONG letters of recommendation

• Make it a priority to get to know faculty in the department. Visit instructors during their office hours. Ask questions about their research, about your academic and career goals, and about class content. Make it a priority to get your faculty member to know you! It doesn't matter how well you know your faculty members if they don't know you! Make yourself memorable.
• Always come to class prepared and participate in class discussions.
• Exhibit strong leadership skills in and outside the classroom.
• Involve yourself in departmental activities and student organizations.
• Be positive, be eager to learn, be a hard worker, be respectful, be pleasant.
• Don't be a 'yes man' or 'yes woman'. Debating (not arguing) about research, concepts, and psychology in general shows that you care about the field, are interested in psychology, and that you are a critical thinker. I'm not suggesting arguing a point just to argue. Rather, ask strong questions about concepts and, if you have reason to debate, do so in a respectful and professional manner.
• Ask your faculty mentors if they will write a strong letter for you. Don't expect them to write letters and don't assume the letters will be strong.
• Give your letter writers plenty of time to meet prescribed deadlines for your applications. It is good practice to ask each writer how much lead time they would prefer, but a good rule of thumb is two or three weeks.
• Give your letter writers information about your accomplishments. Another good rule of thumb is to provide your letter writers with your resume or vita and information about the programs to which you are applying.

How to obtain WEAK letters of recommendation
(DON'T DO THE FOLLOWING!)

• Treat your classes like you are barely able to tolerate them.
• Be consistently late to class and appointments.
• Be very casual about class attendance.
• Never ask questions or contribute in class.
• Do not read assignments or do homework before class.
• Disagree with teachers in a condescending manner.
• Call assignments you do not understand "busy work."
• Always try to twist rules to your own advantage to get what you want.
• Never do more than the minimum required.
• Never help plan or participate in departmental or campus activities.
• Avoid using a teacher's office hours to make appointments. Just come by right before their next class starts. Better yet, don't come by at all!
• Always expect your advisor to be available when you want to register at the last minute and complain when the classes you need are closed.
• Tell a faculty member you would like to work with them in exchange for a good letter of recommendation.