ask for recommendation letters

It’s not like it’s that hard. I already know who I’m getting each of them from, because I asked each prof in person my last semester of college. I’m taking a year off between undergrad and grad school, so I knew when I asked for them that I wouldn’t actually need them for a while. Now that it’s time, though, all I have to do is send out three emails, letting each professor know I need them now. What’s my hold up?

I did this yesterday! He already has what he is going to write in his head. :) I’ll get it back when we come back from vacation.

After I type it up and all (in a professional way on school letterhead paper) I need to figure out how I can send it along with “official transcripts” through guidance. I know these loops shouldn’t bother me as much as they do.

I asked my former boss. I am sure I will have to follow it up several times, but that’s ok. There is no hurry.
I still have to ask one other person which will be a bit more difficult. It has been such a long time and I haven’t been to good with keeping in touch.

Heard back from #3! He’s happy to write a letter. Whew. Can’t believe I was so worried about this. I’m satisfied with these three letters – they should be good. Jill keeps saying I need a professor, but both of my favorite profs are retired and have been since I was at school. I wouldn’t know where to find them, but they also wouldn’t remember me well enough, I think. We weren’t close and didn’t spend lots of time together. And, to be honest, I wasn’t as hardworking and dedicated in college as I’d want to be represented to U of M, as I’m prepared to be now. Moving on! Now to work on the personal statement.

Finally sent an email to recommender #3. Now to nailbite until he responds …

I don’t know what is wrong with me, but I cannot make myself get in touch with recommender #3. I’m starting to have second thoughts about that anyway. A friend keeps saying I should have a professor on my list, but I can’t think of anyone who would remember me fondly other than Preston, and I doubt I impressed him by working particularly hard because I never worked particularly hard in my entire college career. I didn’t build good relationships with my professors, and I’m at a really different place now than I was in college, especially regarding school and how much attention it deserves from me. Bah. I did ask my mom to provide #3’s email address – it’ll be easier for me to get in touch with him that way. I don’t know why I’m so squeamish about calling him. I’m kind of mad at myself about it.

Got in touch with recommender #2 today, and those are the ones I was worried about. I printed their forms today and will put them in the mail tomorrow morning. I haven’t called #3 yet, but I’m not worried that he’ll say no. I wish I could stop in and see him in person, but he’s retired and so there’s no telling where he’d be at any given time. I am challenging myself to call him on Monday and get his form in the mail by next Friday.

I still haven’t heard back from recommender #2, and haven’t called recommender #3. I’ll send #2 an email tomorrow and call #3. Once I hear from both of them, I’ll print the forms and get them in the mail. It’ll be good to have this done.

I had been putting this off because I was so nervous … which was silly. I finally just did it, picked up the phone and called. I left messages for two of my recommenders and one already called back and was happy to do it. Good! Now I’m just waiting for a call back from the other and a good time to call my old friend, who’ll be my third recommender. I’m glad I challenged myself to do this; there’s no reason to wait, and this is the kind of thing I always put off and put off and put off.