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FAQs about Letters of Recommendation and Support Haas Scholars Program Guidelines Q. Do I need more than one letter of recommendation? A. The Haas Scholars Program requires only one letter of recommendation from your faculty sponsor. You do not need to get additional letters of recommendation; however, you may wish to do so. Additional letters of recommendation can be useful in the following situations: *You are just beginning to establish a relationship with your faculty sponsor, so you wish to include an additional letter(s) from a faculty member who has a longer view of your work. *Your project is interdisciplinary in nature, and you wish to include letters from other faculty members who can speak to your different strengths and the merits of the project from different angles. Remember more is not necessarily better. Be selective in requesting letters from people who can speak specifically and concretely about your qualifications and your project's merit. Wherever possible, seek letters from faculty members rather than GSIs. Q. How should I submit letters of recommendation? A. The best way is for you to offer to pick up the letter and hand deliver it to the office. Have your recommender sign the sealed flap. If your recommenders prefer, they can also bring it to me directly or mail it -- but my experience is that it's less likely to arrive on time by that method. In a pinch, recommendations can be e-mailed to me or faxed: 510-642-4607. You are responsible for making sure that all letters-- as well as the sponsor form signed by your mentor -- arrive by the deadline. Be sure to give your recommenders plenty of lead time. At least two weeks is ideal. Q. What is the difference between a letter of recommendation and a letter of support? A. A letter of recommendation is a confidential letter from a faculty member or other person qualified to evaluate the merit of your project proposal and your qualifications to undertake the proposed project. The Haas Scholars Program *requires* a confidential letter of recommendation from your faculty sponsor. You may also decide to request additional letters from other faculty who are in a position to evaluate your project proposal and previous academic work (see more on this below). Additional letters are optional. Your recommenders should be given a copy of your draft proposal to assist them in their evaluation and recommendation efforts. Letters of support are typically from outside individuals or organizations whose cooperation or assistance you will need to ensure the success of the project. These letters help establish your credibility and convince the review board that your project is feasible. Such letters typically state the type of support promised. These letters are entirely optional, although they can sometimes be very useful. Q.What should my mentor's letter of recommendation emphasize? A. The strongest mentor letter will discuss 1) your qualifications to take on your project; 2) the originality and feasibility of the proposed project; and 3) the mentor's commitment to, interest in, and, in the case of non-lab projects, suitability for guiding you through the process. In the case of lab projects, s/he may also want to describe other guidance you will be recieving (e.g. graduate students and post-docs with whom you will be consulting). For either lab or non-lab projects, it may be helpful for your mentor to discuss their role in the development of their proposal. 4) Finally, since building a scholarly community is a major goal of the program, we ask the mentor to comment on your ability to contribute to a positive group dynamic.
Q. When should I get a letter of support? |
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Last modified on by LC |