Seek mentors early. Begin getting to know your professors or other mentors early in your college career.  Mentors may include teaching assistants, professionals in the field, volunteer coordinators, internship supervisors or other professionals.

Don't wait until your senior year to seek out a mentor. Your mentor can provide valuable guidance and advice throughout your college experience. Your priorities and passions may change over time and it is not uncommon that you may have a few mentors through different experiences. 

Maintain your relationships throughout college. The better an individual truly knows you, the more they can speak on your behalf as part of a letter of recommendation for an admissions committee to consider you for professional school. 

Always determine if any specific types of letter(s) of recommendation are required for an individual program of your choice. It is common for letters to typically be requested from: 

• Science Faculty & Non-Science Faculty
• Research Mentor
• Committee
• Faculty Advisor
• Employer
• Health Care Provider
• Volunteer Supervisor/Manager

First, brainstorm 3-5 specific people whom you might approach. Consider people who have observed your work (academic or other environments) and can speak to your abilities, personal qualities, characteristics, competencies and capabilities.

Ask yourself:

• What is your relationship to them?
• How well do they know me professionally?
• In what context have they seen me develop?
• What would they have to say about me?
• Does this source meet any required, specific type of letter required for my professional application?

Schedule an appointment  early in your application process with your potential recommender(s) to discuss your intended goals and be prepared with:

• Current Resume
• Personal Statement
• Project or copy of work completed for the recommender’s class or community setting

Ask if they would be willing to write you a strong letter of recommendation versus just a recommendation letter. Consider offering the individual the opportunity to interview you if you feel they would like to consider your request. It may make them feel more comfortable if it has been a length of time since you have worked together.

Be respectful and if they say no, please thank them for their time and consider alternative sources.

If they accept, please remember to:

• Offer your writer the “Resources for Recommenders” below as a courtesy guide to assist them.
• Give your letter writer 6-8 weeks to write your letter of recommendation.
• Please provide them with an agreed-upon deadline.
• Provide detailed instructions on how to send your recommendation letter to the appropriate application portal. 
• Send a thank you note and keep your recommender updated about your acceptances.

First, remember there are many reasons someone may defer from providing a recommendation. Consider: 

• Writing a strong letter of recommendation will usually take the recommender a large portion of their time and they may have pressing obligations that prevent them from being able to complete a letter in the time frame you require 
• They may be unable to write you a strong letter
• Some individuals simply don't write letters of recommendation 

If you approached someone early in your application process there is still time to review your list of potential recommenders and schedule other appointments. If it is late in your application process, review the requirements for your potential programs before planning your next step. Depending on your scenario, you may already have enough recommendations or you may need to broaden or reconsider your options for potential recommenders.