ingle packet and give it to the faculty member. Don't wait til the last minute to do this!

Naturally, the best recommendations come from faculty in courses where you have performed well. They also come from teachers who have worked closely with you--supervising a paper, exchanging ideas in a seminar, or holding discussions during office hours.

It is much better to get 2 very good recommendations than to get 2 very good ones and 1 mediocre one. You definitely want to ask professors for whom you made an A or B+, not those for whom you made a B- or C+. In any case, it is worthwhile to ask potential recommendation writers if they could please review your materials and let you know if they will be able to write a recommendation that will help you. You might add, "If you cannot write a strong recommendation, I will understand and appreciate your telling me." After all, a faculty member may not know you well enough or may be unsure if you should undertake graduate work right now. It is much better to learn that firsthand (even if it is unpleasant news) than to get a lukewarm recommendation from that person. Also, if you worked closely with a teaching assistant, please let the faculty member know which one to contact. That could also help your recommendation.

Checklist of key items to include in a packet for the professor: Put everything in the packet. Please put your name, email, and purpose of the recommendation on the outside.

• Packet with your name, email address, and purpose of the recommendation, such as law school, an MA program, or a particular type of job • Cover Sheet with your name, address, phone, e-mail, picture, and purpose of the recommendation Recommendations requested from Prof. Lipson must include his special cover sheet: + Current undergraduates can download it here (as Word document) or here (as PDF) +