Recommendations

When you ask someone for a letter of recommendation there are two things that will greatly affect the quality of the response you get: (1) Your professionalism as you ask for the letter, and (2) The degree to which you help that person to write you an effective letter.

Ask politely when you are requesting a letter of recommendation and provide details on the program you are applying to. Make sure you ask in person and not through email. It is not enough to say "Will you write me a letter?". Give the person you are asking some specific information about what it is you are applying for, how it fits into your future goals, and what they would have to do if they accept. For example, you could say: "I am applying for the `Summer Program' at the University of XYZ. This is a program for high school students who are interested in science. I'm interested in it because I want to explore hands on science and learn more laboratory skills. If you are willing to write a letter for me, you will need to fill out an online form answering questions about your assessment of my abilities, and upload a letter of recommendation. Would you be willing to do this for me?".

Do not be offended if someone you ask for a letter of recommendation says "No". They may be doing you a favor if they feel they cannot write you a strong letter or they do not know you well enough, they may know their letter will be lackluster and not help your application. Some people may even suggest other individuals you could ask for a letter. Again, this may be an act of kindness and not simply passing the buck. They may honestly think someone else could write a stronger letter for you, or that another person's position and reputation will carry more weight with the program to which you are applying.

In general, make it as easy as possible for the teacher to write you an effective letter. If you ask for a letter of recommendation, hand in the information your teacher requires as soon as possible. Writing a good letter can be quite time consuming, and many teachers are very busy and not able to take time out of their schedule without some advanced notice. Once they have agreed, give your letter writer everything they need to write and submit your letter.
Here is a list of all the things I request when writing a letter of recommendation.
Please open this link, answer the questions,and return to me ASAP.

After the letter has been submitted, it is a nice gesture to send a thank you note to the person who wrote you a letter. After you receive a response from the program(s) that you applied to, it is also polite to let your letter writers know the outcome.

How Do I Ask For a Letter of Recommendation?