Letters of Recommendation
Guidelines for Letters of Recommendations
Students may need a letter of recommendation when applying for jobs or graduate school after graduation. Since it is difficult for professors to remember details about every specific student, the department requests that students provide professors with an email or a hard copy including these items about themselves.
The letter should be requested at least two weeks in advance of the deadline. Remember also that in the summer months professors are often away so plan accordingly, if you think you will need a letter. When professors have complied with your request, it is an extremely nice gesture to send a thank you note to them.
- List the classes taken and the catalog course numbers. You should have taken at least two courses with a professor who you are asking to write the recommendation.
- Identify the time period when you attended Simpson. This is important especially if you graduated a few years ago.
- Provide the recommender with important key projects from the classes such as major research papers or presentations. The purpose of the recommendation is so that the professor can make an argument as to why you are a good applicant for the job or candidate for graduate school.
- List extra curricular activities: such as the history club, student senate, resident assistant, teaching/research assistantships, campus leadership positions, missions, study abroad, campus jobs, other jobs, or athletics.
- *If you apply to graduate school, request all of your letters at the same time.
- *List the schools, programs to which you are applying, and the deadlines
