Recommendations rank among the most important items in your
admissions file. In many cases, they are the most important,
making or breaking many an application. So start thinking about
them as soon as possible. The whole process of identifying good
recommenders, lining them up, and then making sure they follow
through with winning letters can take a lot of time. If you're
still in college or a recent grad, your college professors will
likely make the best references.
Make It Personal
Choose people who like you, and who think you're good at what you
do. Choose good writers who can express their opinions clearly.
If a potential recommender seems less than enthusiastic in any
way, keep looking. That person's ambivalence is likely to come
through in the letter.
The more personalized and detailed your letters are, the
better. So invest the time to make your recommenders' job as easy
as possible. Try to set up an appointment or lunch interview to
discuss your dental school interests with each letter writer. At
these interviews, review your academic performance and see what
other information they'd like. Providing copies of your papers,
portfolios of your work, and the like will help writers make
their letters as focused and specific as possible.
Provide your recommenders with all the info, forms, stamped
and addressed envelopes they'll need. Make sure they're aware of
deadlines and follow up later. By all means, give them as much
time as possible. Writing a good reference takes time and your
recommenders will likely have other competing demands for time —
and other recommendations to write.
Keep your recommendation writers on schedule. Provide a gentle
reminder when a deadline is approaching. Pave the way for this
reminder when you first ask for the recommendation by mentioning
a date for a follow-up call. And, of course, a thank-you letter
at the end of the process is always appreciated.
Out of School for a
While?
If you've been out of college for a while, it can be harder to
find someone to write a letter of reference. One solution is to
establish a "credentials file" before you leave college. In it,
keep reference letters on file for later mailing. Most dental
schools will make a reasonable accommodation for older students
and accept letters from your bosses or colleagues who can attest
to your intellectual abilities and suitability for grad school.
But getting a boss or work colleague to attest to intellectual
abilities that specifically relate to dental school study can be
a challenge. Sometimes taking a college-level course and asking
that teacher for a reference can be a good solution for this
problem.
Consider These Questions
Ask yourself these questions when considering potential
recommenders:
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Have you worked closely with this
person? |
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Do you feel this person thinks favorably of
you? |
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Does this person know you in more than one
context (e.g., work plus an activity)? |
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Does this person know that you intend to go
to dental school? |
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Is this person an effective narrative
writer? |
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If this person knows you from previous
rather than current experiences, have you kept in touch? |
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Will this person complete your
recommendation letter by the deadline you give?
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