Policy for Letters of Recommendation

Policy for Letters of Recommendation Professor George Blank

I am willing! • I want to see you succeed, and will write letters of recommendation on request for both job opportunities and further education. • However, I will write only honest letters of recommendation, and I require you to follow the procedures in this document.

Tell me who you are • I need to be able to find my records on you and to refresh my memory of your accomplishments. Tell me what classes you took with me, including the semester and year and whether it was classroom or distance learning. I keep my old grade books and will have all your grades.

Help me remember you. • If you were in a classroom section, a digital photo may help. If you contributed to one of the lectures I am currently using, tell me which one. It also helps if you send me copies of your homework assignments, especially the best one(s). • A current resume also helps me write a better letter of recommendation.

Team work • Employers and some schools want to know about your ability to work on teams. Tell me what you did on your team project and any special role you played on the team.

Class standing • Schools always want me to rank you with other students. To do this, I sort my grade book by grade and determine your exact standing. Since most schools want to know top 5%, top 10%, top 25% and top half, this can embarrass you if you did not get an A in my class. A lot of B+ students will be in the bottom half.

Cheating and Incompletes • I keep permanent records of people caught cheating in my classes and those who take an incomplete. Even though you can still get an A in the class with a 0 on a homework assignment, you cannot get a good recommendation. Also, an incomplete will negatively impact the perceptions of schools and employers.

A History of Begging • I also keep records of students who ask for their grades to be changed without justification (such as a mistake on my part). If I write a letter of recommendation, I mention the begging, and suggest that there may be a pattern of attempting to manipulate other people instead of relying on your own work.

My Requirements • For most employer recommendations, all you need is my address, email, and phone number. Use my home address and phone number, as I mostly work from my home office. Usually they call me to talk about you, so make sure I am prepared and have the necessary supporting documentation referred to earlier.

Forms • If I have to submit forms, it is your responsibility to provide me with the forms and a properly addressed, pre-stamped envelope to send it in. Make sure that you fill out any information you are required to submit and sign the confidentiality agreement if necessary.

Electronic Submission • Many schools now accept recommendations over the Web. Make sure I have your supporting documentation before the school contacts me.

Be professional • If you want me to give a good impression to a school or employer, you should make a good impression on me. Make sure you provide all the necessary information, and use good English and proper grammar in your communications with me.

Bad Example • A request like this does not make a good impression: hey prof plse give me a letr of rec 4 harvard u cn get info frm web site -sammy smith

Policy for Letters of Recommendation