When asking for letters of recommendation, try to set yourself and your recommender up for success, as described below and in our webinar.
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Ask directly in person, online, or by phone.
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You can set up a meeting time to discuss the letter by email, but an in-person meeting is more professional and more personal. You will be able to get a better sense of how enthusiastic they are about writing for you based on their tone and body language than you would if you asked by email.
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Be detailed in how you ask and give the recommender the chance to say no.
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- Tell them what you hope they can share about you.
- Ask if they will feel comfortable writing a strong, personal, enthusiastic letter for you in the time allotted.
If someone does not have the time or does not know you well enough to provide a strong, positive letter, then it’s best to know in advance and look for someone who can be more enthusiastic.
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Be prepared to discuss your candidacy and motivation for medicine in person, and provide additional information to make it easier for them to write.
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Some materials that you may provide to writers:
- HPA Request for a letter of recommendation (pdf version) (doc version) – this HPA form should be given to each recommender to facilitate their submission of letters.
- The AAMC Letter Writer Guidelines, which provide helpful guidance regarding what medical schools are looking for in letters of recommendation.
- A copy of your resume/CV
- A short autobiography providing background on yourself and your motivation for medicine
- Anything else that they request
- You can also refer them to the HPA Advice for Recommenders page
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Negotiate deadlines
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Give your writer at least a month to write. Follow up from time to time with reminders about the deadline.
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Complete a Letter Request Form
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Starting in 2024-2025, we are piloting an in-house letter collection system. Princeton students and alums will complete a letter request for each writer, who will then be invited to upload their letter to the system. Learn more and access the request form.
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Write a thank you note or email when the letter has been received and stay in touch throughout the application process.
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Maintain and continue to build your relationships with your writers by maintaining contact.