Dr. Terrence Fries

Reference Letter Requests

The letter of reference is very important to you and to me. I receive many requests, and I take great care in preparing the letters.

Before asking me for a letter of reference, ask yourself these questions:

• Did Dr. Fries know me as a student in more than one class? Or, did we have a professional association that went beyond routine classroom participation?
• In Dr. Fries' classes, did I receive good grades, attend regularly, and submit work on time?
• Is there enough time for Dr. Fries to properly write the letter?

If you cannot answer with a strong yes to every one of these questions, then you should reconsider asking for a letter of reference.

If you decide to ask me for a letter, here are some guidelines that you must follow:

Include the following in your request:

• List all classes you have taken from me - specify course numbers, titles, semester, year, brief descriptions of projects you developed, how they might relate to your current application, and final grade.
• List other kinds of work you may have done with me - internship, independent study, etc.
• A complete resume/curriculum vitae (CV)

For each letter requested, you must specify:

• Name, title, company, and address of recipient
• The date the recommendation is due
• Any specific instructions for the recipient
• The nature of the job or program for which you are applying
• If the recommendation is to be done online, specify the URL I am to use or how and when the recipient will contact me with instructions

Additional notes:

• I will send the letter to the recipient. Most employers and graduate programs want references sent (email or snail mail) directly to them to prevent tampering.
• I do not write generic letters without a specific recipient since I cannot address the position and most employers/graduate programs ignore generic letters.
• I do not normally write recommendations if the right to review is not waived because they are frequently ignored by reviewers for graduate school admissions and employers if there is no waiver. Failing to waive your right gives the reviewer the impression that you are not confident about the contents of the recommendation. Waiving your right makes the reviewers believe that the recommendation is an honest evaluation of you.
• Please provide at least one week notice so that I have sufficient time to properly write a complete letter.