Recommendations

I remember the entire college application process and how much 'fun' it was, especially when I had to ask teachers for recommendations. I don't know about you but I was always the shy kid who never spoke up much in class. So how on earth would my teachers have been able to write a good recommendation for me? Luckily, our college guidance counselors gave us forms to fill out to aid in the process: aka we essentially wrote mini-autobiographies and gave them to our recommenders. It would be nice to do that for the graduate school application process since I'm still the quiet kid who doesn't speak up much - especially in larger lectures. So in the midst of my panic about from whom to get recommendations, I went and found some tips for approaching professors for recommendations:

1) Don't be concerned that you are imposing when you request a recommendation letter; just provide the individual with all the help you can so he or she can do the job. (from Peterson's Perfect Personal Statements, 2004)
2) Allow a few weeks for the professor to write your letter. Professors are busy and your professor will be able to write a better letter for you if he or she is not rushed.
3) Thank your professor. And after you find out whether your application was successful, inform the people who wrote recommendations on your behalf. They spent their valuable time writing thoughtful letters for you and deserve to know the outcome. (Carthage)
4) If you plan to take some time off before going to graduate school, don’t wait until you want to apply to graduate school to ask for letters. Your professors could be on sabbatical, or you may not be fresh in their minds anymore. So, ask professors for a “general” letter of recommendation before you leave place their letters in a safe place. When you are ready to apply to graduate school, contact professors again, and ask them to update your letters. (Berkeley Career Center)
5) Also check out Cornell Career Services for more information on getting recommendation letters! And of course, stop by G55 Goldwin Smith if you have any additional questions.

If you're in the situation that I'm in - taking a year or two off before applying - you might want to check out Interfolio, too. For a fee, Interfolio provides secure online storage for things like recommendations letters, writing samples, transcripts, and more. They offer 3 different plans: a 1 year account for $19; a 3 year account for $39.90; and a 5 year account for $57. However, there are delivery charges. So every time you need Interfolio to send a recommendation letter, for example, they would charge you an additional fee depending on the type of delivery that you specify. If you're thinking about taking a break from school for a few years, Interfolio might be worth the money.

Good luck to you if you are stressing out over recommendations!