How to Get Recommendation Letters for Grad School

Recommendation letters are a critical part of the graduate school application. If you are planning on applying to grad school, think about who you will ask for letters of recommendation well before you begin preparing your graduate school application. Make contact with professors during the first two years of college and develop relationships, as you will rely on them to write recommendation letters that will land you a spot in the graduate program of your choice. Every graduate program requires applicants to submit recommendation letters. Dont underestimate the importance of these letters. While your transcript, standardized test scores, and admissions essay are vital components of your graduate school application, an excellent recommendation letter can make up for weaknesses in any of these areas. Requirements A well-written recommendation letter provides admissions committees with information that isnt found elsewhere in the application. It is a detailed discussion, from a faculty member, of the personal qualities, accomplishments, and experiences that make you unique and perfect for the programs to which youve applied. A helpful letter of recommendation provides insights that cannot be gleaned by simply reviewing an applicants transcript  or standardized test scores. Moreover, a recommendation can validate a candidates admissions essay. Whom to Ask Most graduate programs require at least two—and more commonly three—recommendation letters. Most students find choosing professionals to write recommendations difficult. Consider faculty members, administrators, internship/cooperative education supervisors, and employers. The people you ask to write your recommendation letters should: Know you wellKnow you long enough to write with authorityKnow your workDescribe your work positivelyHave a high opinion of youKnow where you are applyingKnow your educational and career goalsBe able to favorably compare you with your peersBe well-knownBe able to write a good letter No one person will satisfy all of these criteria. Aim for a set of recommendation letters that cover the range of your skills. Ideally, letters should cover your academic and scholastic skills, research abilities and experiences, and applied experiences (such as cooperative education, internships, and related work experience). For example, a student who is applying to a Master of Social Work program or a program in clinical psychology might include recommendations from faculty who can attest to her research skills as well as recommendation letters from faculty or supervisors who can speak to her clinical skills and potential. How to Ask There are good and bad ways of approaching faculty to ask for a letter of recommendation. Time your request well: Dont corner professors in the hallway or immediately before or after class. Request an appointment, explaining that youd like to discuss your plans for graduate school. Save the official request and explanation for that meeting. Ask the professor if he knows you well enough to write a meaningful and helpful recommendation letter. Pay attention to his demeanor. If you sense reluctance, thank him and ask someone else. Remember that it is best to ask early in the semester. As the end of the semester approaches, faculty may hesitate because of time restraints. Also be aware of common mistakes students make when requesting recommendation letters, such as asking too close to the admissions deadline. Make the request at least a month ahead of time, even if you dont have your application materials composed or your final list of programs selected. Provide Information   The best thing that you can do to ensure that your recommendation letters cover all areas is to provide your recommenders with all the necessary information. Dont assume that they will remember everything about you. For example, a professor might remember that a student is exceptional and an excellent participant in class but may not recall all of the details when she sits down to write—how many classes the student took with her and extracurricular interests, such as being active in the psychology honors society.  Provide a file with all of your background information: TranscriptResume or curriculum vitaeAdmissions essaysCourses youve taken with each recommending professorResearch experienceInternship and other applied experiencesHonor societies to which you belongAwards youve wonWork experienceProfessional goalsDue date for the applicationCopy of the application recommendation forms (if a paper/hard copy letter is required and if the forms are provided by the institution)List of programs to which you are applying (and have them send email requests for recommendations early, well before the deadline) Importance of Confidentiality The recommendation forms supplied by graduate programs require you to decide whether to waive or retain your rights to see your recommendation letters. If you decide to retain your rights, remember that confidential recommendation letters tend to carry more weight with admissions committees. In addition, many faculty will not write a recommendation letter unless it is confidential. Other faculty may provide you with a copy of each letter, even if it is confidential. If you are unsure of what to decide, discuss it with a college adviser As the application deadline approaches, check with your recommenders—but dont nag. Contacting the graduate programs to inquire whether your materials were received is also appropriate. Regardless of the outcome of your application, send a thank you note once you have determined that faculty members have submitted their letters.

Essay about Dbq 1 - 921 Words

It was inevitable and unavoidable that violence and dispossession were outcomes of the centuries-long confirmation of Native Americans with European settlers and their American descendants. European settlers were relentless whenever they were introduced to things that were appealing to their eye. If they wanted it, then they would go get it due to the superior mindset of the Europeans. European settlers first came to the New World for multiple reasons. It started with Christopher Columbus wanting to find a shorter and quicker route to the East. Failing to do so, he made the New World’s existence known to the Old World. It wasn’t just the Europeans who decided to come to the New World. The Spanish government was informed of the New World†¦show more content†¦He understood that Europeans and Natives both have cultural differences. One thing that seems very taboo to the Europeans may be very common for the Natives. The differences in cultures affect our mindset an d perspective on how we see things. Franklin understood that they had a different way of living life. (Doc 3) Shawnee leader, Tecumseh, was not a happy Native. He blamed the greed and oppression of the Europeans for the destruction of the Native American cultures. The Europeans greed led them to strip the land from the Natives, and try in forcing their religion upon the Natives. Tecumseh believed that the land was for all. There was nothing about selling, taking, and giving the land away. The Europeans just did not have that mindset at all. Red Jacket was a Seneca leader. He was very discouraged of the fact that they took the land of the Natives, but even more because they wanted to force their religion upon the Native Americans. The Europeans were ruthless when it came to this. They did not think about their feelings and the actions that could hurt the Natives. (Doc 4, 5, 6) In the 1800’s, U.S. Secretary of War amp; U.S. Secretary of Interior were both not very kind to the N atives. John C. Calhoun was U.S. Secretary in 1820 at the time. He believed that Native Americans had no right of ruling themselves. He believed that they were uncivilized and that they had no right of even being knownShow MoreRelatedap dbq 11003 Words   |  5 Pages14th, 2014 Graded Assignment Document-Based Question: Religious Views on War Complete and submit this assignment by the due date to receive full credit. (45 points) 1. To complete this Graded Assignment, retrieve the Religious Views on War DBQ. Use this document with its essay instructions and the DBQ Checklist to complete this DBQ essay. Please consult the rubric throughout the process. Using the documents, compare the views of major world religions on war. 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Just Dessert Free Essays

Just Dessert Name: ADJ/215 Date: Instructor: Just Dessert It is a normal feeling for people in our society to want someone to be punished for the crime they commit. Without any type of punishment it feels like justice was not served especially when there is a victim involved. This in many people’s eyes is a way to justify punishment and it is based on the just dessert theory. We will write a custom essay sample on Just Dessert or any similar topic only for you Order Now With this theory it is the belief that a person should be punished based on the harm they caused and the crime they committed. In other words the punishment should fit the crime. People who are for just dessert believe that retribution justifies punishment because it is deserving based on the crime. Where the opposing side believes that justification of punishment lies in the ability to prevent or minimize future harm. Arguments in Favor of Just Dessert When researching just dessert I found three particular arguments in favor of the just dessert theory. The first argument is that the punishment should be the same for all offenders based on the crime they committed. This is considered to be fair and justified punishment because it is deserving of the crime committed. The second argument supports that just dessert encompasses fair treatment both to the vulnerable in society and victims rather than just the offenders. This allows the victims of crimes to know what type of justice they can expect. And finally the third argument believes that the just desert theory is the best way to explain the death penalty for murder because if an offender takes a life they would understand and expect that their punishment would be a sentence of death. Arguments Against Just Dessert There are many arguments against the just desserts theory. Two significant arguments against the just dessert theory are that it gives an inadequate justification of bias or hate crimes and cannot explain the state’s democratic duty to protect the most vulnerable victims. Many opponents are concerned that the state legislatures will set unreasonably high sentences. Just dessert is also thought to be inflexible and fixed for every offender; very little if any consideration is given to the circumstances surrounding his or her crime. There is also a fear that just dessert would remove the rehabilitation aspect from prisons across the country. Those that choose to argue in favor of just dessert to support the continued use of the death penalty in the United States are missing, or choose to ignore, many fallacies with the argument of just dessert in support of the death penalty. An important point to keep in mind is that the United State is the only democracy in the world that still uses the death penalty as a possible punishment. (Foley, 2006). My Position is Against Just Dessert My position was assigned to be against just dessert. While researching just dessert and exploring both sides of the argument I can understand why people are against just dessert. It would seem that this theory would not be beneficial when it comes to certain types of crimes. â€Å"When dealing with a case of a single individual who has committed a crime, participants appeared insensitive to the factors that should drive sentencing when utilitarian goals are the motivating force; it was the factors relevant to the just deserts perspective that determined sentencing. (Carlsmith, Darley, Robinson, 2002). The sentence at an individual level seems to come from a strictly deservingness-based stance rather than taking into consideration the circumstances surrounding the crime when it comes to deciding punishment. Although the type of crime may be similar, no crime is the same or committed for the same reason. The theory of just dessert is retrospective rather than prospective. â€Å"The punisher need not be concerned with future outcomes, only with providing punishment appropriate to the given harm. Although it is certainly preferable that the punishment serve a secondary function of inhibiting future harmdoing, its justification lies in righting a wrong, not in achieving some future benefit. † (Carlsmith, Darley, Robinson, 2002). The belief is that the punishment should be proportionate to the harm the person caused. The problem becomes that our judicial system is not perfect and there are times when innocent people are convicted of a crime. If we utilize the just dessert theory with someone ho was convicted of murder we would sentence them to death. If the person was later found to be not guilty we would have murdered an innocent person based on this theory. References Carlsmith, K. M. , Darley, J. M. , Robinson, P. H. (2002). Why Do We Punish? : Deterrence and just deserts as motives for punishment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(2), 284-299. doi:10. 1037/0022-3514. 83. 2. 284 Foley, M. (2006). Toward Understanding the Death Penalty Debate. Retrieved from http://www. ala. org/ala/acrl/acrlpmbs/choice/content/essay. cfm How to cite Just Dessert, Papers

College The Path for Everyone free essay sample

In the United States today, there is a continuous debate about whether or not college is for everyone. Although many jobs are starting to require college degrees, people still argue that college is not necessary for everyone. Some feel that college is out of reach for certain middle and lower class citizens and therefore unnecessary. Many believe that no matter which field students go into, college is the right path. Certain people think that a college degree is only necessary depending on the path the student decides to take. Today, more jobs than ever require a college degree. People in the working class that have a college degree are said to be more successful than those without a degree. This statement is fairly true, yet, more and more children are not attending college. Many say this is due to either unwillingness or financial issues. Although colleges cannot necessarily persuade students to attend colleges, they have ways to financially help willing students. We will write a custom essay sample on College: The Path for Everyone? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For the students that cannot afford to attend a college, financial aid programs allow willing students to attend college. This is one of the many aids that colleges offer. Although college is very expensive, a lot of people believe that it is worth the cost because it raises one’s chances of getting a successful career. With aids available and a higher chance of success, college is a very valuable post-secondary school choice. The purpose of college is not to receive a job, it is to educate and empower one’s self. Students that attend college also have highly developed skills in many different fields. With everything that colleges offer, students should pursue the opportunities available to them. Although college offers many opportunities, some believe that college is not meant for everyone. There are still some jobs today that don’t require a college degree. Therefore, many people believe that a nation that has a mix of people with and without degrees is beneficial. Our nation has noticed that well-paying jobs today require a college degree. Though this is true, many students are unwilling to put in the time and effort to go to college. That being said, college should be known as the correct post-secondary choice for our nation today.