Undergraduate
Advising
Bruce Hayes
Dept. of Linguistics, UCLA
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Recommendation Letters
I do these for undergraduates fairly regularly. Here are bits of advice
to help make the process go smoothly.
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If possible, come tell me in person what your general plans are, so I'll
have background for writing the letter.
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Put on paper what you are applying for, with addresses.
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On the same document, remind me of what courses you took from me, and when.
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Include copies of any material from the institution(s) you are applying to
that would help me to write a more focused letter.
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Include all forms I have to fill out. Please fill in the blanks that you
know how to fill in.
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If you have written term papers for me and still have copies, include
Xeroxes of these papers. I will reread them and make them part of the basis
of my letter.
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In the paper document mentioned above, note all applicable deadlines,
using large type.
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If you like, as the deadline approaches, you can ask me if I've sent the
letter(s). I will not be offended by such requests.
In general, I strive to write the most positive letter I can while still
feeling honest about the process. If you want to know roughly what
my letter would be like, ask me in advance.
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