Recommendation letters

[pinkdaisy]

Hello all--

I'm applying to grad school for my Master's in Education/Elementary School Certification. I wondered if any who have gone through the application process asked former professors for recommendations. I have not kept in touch with any, although there is one professor who I worked fairly closley with for my Senior Project and I'm sure he would write me a good one, but I feel awkward about approaching him after being out of school for three years and having no contact with him at all during this time. I was planning to ask my current employer and a former employer for the recommendations, but was am wondering if the professor's recommendation would stregthen my app. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Thanks for your advice! :)

[allie1105]

I am in my first semester completing my M.ed in Business Education and Information Technology. I used my undergrad professors to write letters...and it worked PRETTY well..but it was very time consuming. Ask them ASAP, and email frequent reminders. They are so busy and will forget to do it if you ask them once and then never again. Good Luck!

[CityGal]

Allie is right. Make sure you keep harassing them about your recs. The recs are by far one of the most stressful things in the application. People tend to forget or get tied down with other things. Be pleasant but stay on top of it.

As for feeling awakward, don't be. Professors know it comes with the territory. When you meet with potential recommenders make sure you have the necessary items they will need to write a good letter. Also, make sure you trust that person to write a good letter.

After nearly six months of trying to perfect my application, I am ready to send them out. I have all my materials and my statement is as good as it is going to get. The only thing missing is one damn research proposal which I wasn't aware I had to write but I am definitely not stressing it bc I can just use one of the many versions of my statement. Anywho, I took off of work tomorrow and will be sending out my apps.

Good Luck!

[winneythepooh7]

I didn't ask former professors. First off, because the classes were pretty large in undergrad, they'd probably have no clue who I was. Or I had adjuncts. In any event I used all current or former supervisors and had no problems.

[yankeeyosh]

When I applied for grad school, I didn't keep contact with my former professors for a couple of years, and they were more than accomodating to write letters to get me in. I wouldn't fret too much about it...profs are usually pretty good in terms of writing something positive...if they can't remember everything offhand, they will surely look back in their files and remember you that way.

[Syracuse]

When I applied for grad school, I didn't keep contact with my former professors for a couple of years, and they were more than accomodating to write letters to get me in. I wouldn't fret too much about it...profs are usually pretty good in terms of writing something positive...if they can't remember everything offhand, they will surely look back in their files and remember you that way.
Sounds like you had good progessors, some are aholes though.

[pinkdaisy]

Thanks everyone for the advice! I am going to send my professor an email today to ask for a rec. for the two schools I am applying to As soon as I get that done, I'll be on my way to grad school (I hope!):)

[Millenial]

Sounds like you had good progessors, some are aholes though.
yeah some just outright tell you they won't take the time to do them, others will procrastinate, you have to be on the ball.

i just got a second round of letters, it was most definitely a pain in the a**.
i felt bad asking to get letters again months after asking for them because i withdrew out of my original program.

[allie1105]

Allie is right. Make sure you keep harassing them about your recs. The recs are by far one of the most stressful things in the application. People tend to forget or get tied down with other things. Be pleasant but stay on top of it.

As for feeling awakward, don't be. Professors know it comes with the territory. When you meet with potential recommenders make sure you have the necessary items they will need to write a good letter. Also, make sure you trust that person to write a good letter.

After nearly six months of trying to perfect my application, I am ready to send them out. I have all my materials and my statement is as good as it is going to get. The only thing missing is one damn research proposal which I wasn't aware I had to write but I am definitely not stressing it bc I can just use one of the many versions of my statement. Anywho, I took off of work tomorrow and will be sending out my apps.

Good Luck!

I just read this - I am so glad you are sending them out! How did your SOP turn out? Good Luck and keep me posted!

[yankeeyosh]

Sounds like you had good progessors, some are aholes though.

Yes, one told me that she was thinking about me and wondering why I wasn't going to grad school. I do suspect, however, that she was the one that wrote in her letters that I have a bad temper (found out at my interview), which might have resulted in rejections from a couple of schools.