Guide to Getting Into Graduate School > Selecting Faculty Members for Letters of Recommendation

The best letters of recommendation will come from faculty who have worked closely with you (your research supervisor), have known you for most of your college career (your academic advisor), are senior and well-known (the department chair), and who have a positive opinion of your abilities.

Give your letter writer a well-organized packet of information about you. In a large envelope, include the following things:

• A current academic transcript.
• A copy of your academic resume.
• A pre-addressed envelope for each letter, with postage affixed. Be sure to write your name and the school's name on the outside of each envelope.
• Any forms that should be submitted with the letter. If there is a form that goes with the letter, complete as much of the information as possible. Type in the recommender's name, position, and contact information. If you are asked to indicate whether or not you wish to waive your right to access the letter of recommendation, be sure to waive this right. Answering otherwise is dangerous. It indicates that you do not trust the letter writer or that you have something to hide and severely reduces the effectiveness of the letter.
• A brief cover letter listing your contact information, a deadline for each letter, your career aspirations, information you want emphasized in the letter, and any other information you deem relevant.