Requesting Letters of Recommendations
Requesting Letters of Recommendation:
Letters of Recommendations work best if they are supported with details from
our academic relationship. I want to be specific with my praise, and I want
to target my evaluation to the kind of program you are applying to.
Materials Needed:
(1) Resume
(2) Your Proposal or application letter (most fellowships or programs ask you
to tell them why you want to study or what you want to do with their money).
(3) A longer paper you have written for me.
(4) An unofficial transcript (this can be from your Yale-Station account).
(5) A list of courses you have taken with me
(6) Any other supporting documents that help me to write a detailed and targeted
letter.
(7) A list of all programs to which you are applying with their postal address
and fax numbers, the deadlines for each program, and the correct description
of the specific course of study that you wish to enter (e.g., PhD in Molecular
Biology with Special Focus on Paleontological Archeology). N.B., a Master of
Divinity in one school is a Master of Theological Studies in another. Also tell
me, for each program, what I shall do with the letter (e.g., mail to program,
submit on-line, give to you).
(8) If your program allows for on-line submission, have them send me the link.
I prefer on-line submissions. Otherwise provide me with the recommender's form
for each program filled out with both your and my name and all of the information
that you can provide.
As for the procedure: Please leave your complete set of materials in my mailbox
in the RLST department. (N.B.! Without the complete set of materials in hand,
I will not work on your recommendation) If you are not in New Haven you should
mail your materials to me (either per snail-mail or per email). For the correct
mailing address click on "Contact Information" on the navigation bar.
Finally, while I will enjoy writing for you, you need to remind me a couple
of days before the recommendation is due. Be forthright and pushy!