To request a letter of recommendation please email me a brief summary of the following:

1) How I know you (i.e., which class(es) you have taken with me, in which semester(s))

2) Any other work we have done together

3) What your goals are for graduate school and your future career, and why

If I do not agree to write a letter for you, it is either because a) I don't feel I know you well enough, or b) I don't feel I can speak positively enough about your best qualities. While I recognize it can be difficult to find letter writers, having an impersonal and/or not enthusiastically positive letter accompany your application will significantly weaken it. In other words, if I don't feel I can write you a strong letter, you'd be better off without a letter from me. If you have taken a class with me, you must have received at least a B in that class in order to request a letter of recommendation.

If I do agree to write a letter for you, I will need the information listed below. It is very important that you me send materials for all schools at the same time if you are requesting multiple letters, rather than requesting letters one at a time, months apart.

1. A list of every school to which you are applying that includes the name of the school, the specific name of the program to which you are applying (e.g., PhD in School Psychology), the deadline to submit recommendation letters for that school [note: this should be the SCHOOL's deadline, not the deadline by which you personally would like me to submit. Please provide only accurate deadlines!], the manner in which those letters are submitted (online, in writing, etc.), and any other relevant specific information (e.g., professors you are applying to work with). This should ideally be in the form of an Excel spreadsheet, not pasted in the text of the email.

2. Signed recommendation forms for any school that requires them, with my contact information filled out.

3. Stamped addressed envelopes for any school that requires letters to be mailed in directly.

4. Blank envelopes for any school that requires you to send the letters in yourself with the rest of our application package.

5. A copy of your current CV/resume.

It is essential that I receive these materials, completed, more than one month before the first deadline. If your list of schools changes (i.e., you decide not to apply somewhere), please let me know. Please try not to send me your list until it's finalized.

After I agree to write your request and confirm that I have received your materials, your work is done! *Please do not send me reminders to complete your letters.* I will complete your letters on time, but they may be submitted on the day of the deadline. If you won't be able to wait until that date without sending me a reminder, consider asking someone else for a recommendation letter instead.

It is not necessary for you to get me any sort of thank you gift! If you do insist on giving me something, please make sure it is not food, as the number of food allergies in my home will preclude me from being able to enjoy it.