Strategies For Receiving Less-Than-Enthusiastic Letters of Recommendation

In order to enter a graduate program, a student must have letters of recommendation from faculty members with whom they have interacted during their undergraduate career. Unfortunately, students usually do not plan ahead to insure they get strong letters of recommendation from the faculty. In fact, some students ask for letters of recommendation from faculty who has trouble remembering what courses they were in. Other students however, are remembered all too well.

The following points are suggested for those students who really do not want strong letters of recommendation from the faculty.

Treat you instructors and classes as though you are barely able to tolerate them.

Be consistently late to class.

Never ask questions or contribute to class, even when asked.

Complain when instructors provide extra learning opportunities.

Do not read assignments before class.

Always try to be the exception to the rule.

Disagree with instructors in a haughty and condescending manner (especially in public).

Call assignments that you do not understand boring, irrelevant, or busy work.

Be a classroom lawyer.

Never do any more than is minimally required in class.

Never help to plan or participate in departmental or campus activities

Avoid using an instructor’s office hours.

Of course if you really want a strong letter of reference, pay attention to the above points and be sure to avoid getting your professor’s attention in this manner. Just do the opposite of the suggested points and try a little reverse psychology on your professor (who knows, it might just work).

Source: Landrum E. R. & Davis S. F. (2003). The Psychology Major: Career Options and Strategies for Success, 2^nd ed., Pearson Education Inc.: Upper Saddle river, NJ.