Information for students seeking letters of recommendation
My goal is to write the strongest, most informed letter of recommendation possible. I wind up being asked to write letters for students seeking all kinds of positions (including letters for graduate school, residence life, jobs, internships, honor societies, scholarship programs, etc.) to prepare a Recommendation Request Form that includes pertinent information about your background, grades, honors, and interests. You should also consult this webpage regarding advice on letters of recommendation: Advice from the Social Psychology network.
I want students to provide me with a neat and organized package containing all the information needed. This makes a good impression and makes the job easier for me in writing the letter. Please provide me with ONE organized package instead of supplying forms, envelopes, emails, and pieces of paper on many separate occasions. Make sure you sign the form(s) if required.
It is easier for me to do letters online but I'm happy to complete letters either by snail-mail or online. Make sure you give me the correct deadlines (this information should be included in the information packet that you provide). Many schools want you to include the letter with your application so you need to calculate additional days for you to receive the letter. Also, many schools only allow online letters after they have received your application (which for many students makes the snail-mail letter of recommendation more feasible than the online option).
Writing good letters of recommendation takes time. Please give me at least 2 weeks advance notice before the recommendation is due. Finally, waive your rights to read the letter or form. Recipients place more credence on letters which are not read by students. If you are in doubt about the kind of recommendation the referee will write, ask.
Writing a strong personal statement
Your personal statement is really a letter of intent or statement of purpose. You should write the personal statment with an eye toward being careful to get the tone right and including information that will enhance your chances of getting into graduate school. So what this means is thepersonal statement needs to be perfectly crafted and written (have your faculty supervisor review the statement as many times as needed), and you will need to write many drafts before it is acceptable. I tell students that this part of the application alone may take 40-60 hours of writing and editing to get it right. You may also want to follow this link to see an article that was originally published in the APS Observer.
See here for excellent advice:
Applying to Graduate School: Preparing a Personal Statement
Applying to Graduate School: Writing a Compelling Personal Statement
Psychology Graduate Degree Guide
Also based on a study of professors admitting students into graduate school in psychology (Appleby and Appleby, 2006) here is a list of what NOT to write in your personal statement: Kiss of Death
General FAQs about getting into graduate school from the Dickinson College Department of Psychology.