Applying to graduate school is an exciting step toward advancing your education and career. But let’s be honest—it can also feel a bit overwhelming, especially when it comes to gathering all the required documents. Letters of recommendation can be particularly challenging as you are relying on another person to do their part while also juggling their own work and home obligations. 

Luckily, you can follow the guide below to improve your chances of securing recommendation letters that will set you apart from your competition.

What Is a Letter of Recommendation?

A letter of recommendation for grad school is a written endorsement from someone who knows you well enough to speak to your academic achievements, skill level, work ethic, and character traits that demonstrate your potential for success in graduate studies. 

Most graduate schools require applicants to submit one or more letters of recommendation to be admitted into the program. These letters give the admissions committee a glimpse into your academic, professional, and personal strengths beyond your GPA, transcripts, and test scores. Testimony from another person who has seen what you can do and what you’re capable of may increase the committee’s confidence in admitting you to their program.  

Strong letters often include specific examples of your accomplishments, leadership, or hard work rather than just generic platitudes that could apply to any number of students. 

For example, instead of simply saying I was creative or innovative, one of my professors wrote that I was the only student in 20 years who presented the final project in the form of an interactive website rather than a typical PowerPoint. Everybody knows adjectives, but nobody else knows that anecdote except my professor. 

Who to Ask for Letters of Recommendation

While I’m sure your mother, best friend, or hair stylist could write glowing letters of recommendation for you, grad schools are instead looking for more objective testimony from other relevant professionals. 

Ideally, you want your letters written by either academics or working professionals:

  • Professors, teachers, or school counselors: People who can attest to your academic skills or ability to meet deadlines, collaborate with others, retain information, produce high-quality work, take leadership roles, or seek feedback.
  • Employers, managers, or leaders: People you have worked for or under the supervision of who can vouch for your hard and soft skills, such as attendance and reliability, experience with technology, successful project campaigns, workplace improvements, or conflict resolution skills.

Ask people you work directly under—the ones who have supervised or evaluated your work performance regularly. It may be tempting to ask someone with an impressive job title within your company, but they won’t be able to provide the level of meaningful insight.

You’ll also want to avoid asking people who don’t know you well or only knew you briefly many years ago—instead, find someone more knowledgeable about your current skill levels or recent work performance.  

When to Ask for Letters of Recommendation

The one thing you don’t want to do when asking for letters of recommendation is wait until the last minute. Don’t expect people to drop whatever they are doing to accommodate your urgent request. It also takes time for them to reflect upon their experiences with you and to compose a thoughtful and detailed letter.

Here’s a general timeline:

  • Two to three months before the application deadline, graduation, or end of the semester: Reach out to your chosen people so they have plenty of time to consider your request and write the letter at their convenience.
  • Follow up about one month before the deadline: Work gets busy, and life gets hectic, so don’t be afraid to follow up with a friendly reminder. Help refresh the person’s memory by providing helpful information (we’ll talk about this in a moment) and any specific date or time you need their finished letter. 

Rushing someone because the deadline is close is not only rude but could result in a generic or poorly edited letter, which may hurt your case instead of help.

How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation

You may feel embarrassed or awkward asking for a letter of recommendation, but with the right approach, it can be pretty painless. The key is to be polite, gracious, and helpful.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Be polite: Call on the phone (if comfortable) or send a professional email. Address them respectfully, politely make your request, and explain why you would value their recommendation specifically.
  2. Be gracious: Acknowledge that writing a recommendation letter takes time and effort, and explain how much you appreciate them taking the time to write a thoughtful recommendation. 
  3. Be helpful: Provide the most important information, at least, particularly the name of the school and specific program you’re applying to, as well as deadlines or instructions on where to send it. 

It also helps to mention something personal to them or your interactions with them, such as a distinct memory from their class, an important lesson they taught you, or how they inspired you. 

In the next section, we will look at other useful information or documents you could provide that would make the process much easier for them. 

What Information Is Needed to Write a Recommendation Letter?

The best letters of recommendation are the result of thoughtful preparation and clear communication. Make it easy for your recommender by providing them with the following:

  • Your resume: This gives them an overview of your experiences and accomplishments.
  • Your transcripts: It highlights your academic record and areas of study.
  • Details about the graduate program: Include the school's name, specific program, and any skills or qualifications the admissions committee might look favorably upon.
  • Your personal statement or career goals: Share why you were inspired to pursue grad school and how this will help you with your career aspirations.  

Additionally, you can provide a list of traits or experiences you’d like them to emphasize. For example, if you won a departmental contest, perhaps they can mention why your work was selected or what skills you used to achieve such a win. Details like these will help your recommender craft a personalized and impactful letter.

(Oh, and it can't hurt to mention that artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini can help them draft, revise, or proofread their letters for free!)

Key Takeaways

Now that you understand who, when, and how to ask for letters of recommendation for grad school, check out our step-by-step guide to obtaining a master's degree to learn about the next step toward your graduate studies.