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[eightynine_point_5]

I'm a student, and I'm terrified of my professors. They scrawl all over my papers with red ink and then they sneer and interrupt whenever I make comments in class. Especially when I talk about the war.

And that's not all. Once, after I had to work an entire four-hour shift at my on-campus job, I had to go to this really boring lecture that my adviser says is like required for graduation or something. Why can't they hire a math teacher who speaks E N G L I S H? I mean eww.  Anyway, I accidentally dozed off in class. I didn't even realize it until something hit me- my teacher had actually thrown a piece of chalk at me! Then she wouldn't change my B+ to an A-. I'm taking it to the dean. Just wait until she sees what I write on her evaluation.

So even though I pay their salaries, I just found out I need to get three recommendations to get into grad school. And they all hate me, so you can see why I'm a little hesitant to approach them. It's the initial contact that I'm most worried about. Are you guys forced to write recommendations? How do you like being approached? Is there an intrinsic etiquette to the process? I'm not worried about being rejected so much as making my professors feel uncomfortable.

Is it more polite to just drop in during office hours, or is it best to send out a feeler e-mail first? Skimming through the forum, I've decided against shooting them all an e-mail over the summer.

[larryc]

Call them at home!  We professors love that, especially during the summer.  It is best to call in the evening when we're drunk.  Using your professor's first names will establish an easy air of informality that will take you far.  Wait until a couple of days before the recommendation is due to establish a sense of shared urgency.  And don't forget to remind them that students have in fact sued professors for bad letters, and that you uncle is a lawyer.

Good luck, kiddo.

[smart_e_pantz]

I'm a student, and I'm terrified of my professors. They scrawl all over my papers with red ink and then they sneer and interrupt whenever I make comments in class. Especially when I talk about the war.

And that's not all. Once, after I had to work an entire four-hour shift at my on-campus job, I had to go to this really boring lecture that my adviser says is like required for graduation or something. Why can't they hire a math teacher who speaks E N G L I S H? I mean eww.  Anyway, I accidentally dozed off in class. I didn't even realize it until something hit me- my teacher had actually thrown a piece of chalk at me! Then she wouldn't change my B+ to an A-. I'm taking it to the dean. Just wait until she sees what I write on her evaluation.

So even though I pay their salaries, I just found out I need to get three recommendations to get into grad school. And they all hate me, so you can see why I'm a little hesitant to approach them. It's the initial contact that I'm most worried about. Are you guys forced to write recommendations? How do you like being approached? Is there an intrinsic etiquette to the process? I'm not worried about being rejected so much as making my professors feel uncomfortable.

Is it more polite to just drop in during office hours, or is it best to send out a feeler e-mail first? Skimming through the forum, I've decided against shooting them all an e-mail over the summer.

I think you should enroll at Kissyface College.  We at KFC are honored to meet the needs of dedicated students like you.  Be sure to tell them Prof. Smartypants sent you.  They are still upset at the gesture I flashed at the graduation and this recruiting bit will help me keep my job.

[anon2]

Let's get one thing straight right here and now. You do NOT pay a professor's salary. Your tuition payments don't pay anywhere near what you think they do.

For your information, it takes the tuition of approximately 23 students to pay the salary of a tenured professor. Your tuition pays only about 30% of the cost of running a college. The rest comes from taxpayer money (for public universities) and from grants and endowments. A small portion comes from research grants the faculty brings.

Get you facts straight before you spout off. you won't come across as such a fool.

[tamiam]

God, wow (oops, I mean anon2) get a sense of humor, would you?

[medievalisttoo]

To eighty-nine: And they say satire is dead.  Thanks for making me smile after a long, tiring day.

To Anon2: Somebody needs a hug!

[voxprincipalis]

Dear 89.5,

I would be happy to write you a recommendation letter. I am offering a Summer Special on recommendations right now with the following prices:

Glowing: $500
Enthusiastic: $400
Ambivalent: $300
Dubious: $250
Disastrous: Free!!!

I accept PayPal and most major credit cards.

Thanks!

VP

[kecko]

This is a joke, right?

You do realize that your letters will be sent without your being able to read them?

I recommend you take another year, get some maturity, take some part time courses while you work, and then ask a new prof to write them for you. You're not going to get into grad school as it stands.

[larryc]

*hands out clues*

[fishbrains]

89.5,

Your email idea sounds good. However, to save time, just write one email and CC it to the professors you need letters from. It always helps to begin the email with a salutation of "Hey!" instead of a professor's name. Also, this way you don't have to worry about indicating which class(es) you took with each professor.

Once you send the email, you should expect the letter to be ready within 24 hours. If the professors don't have your letter ready by then, just go to their department heads and ask him or her why his or her people are so slow.

Good luck!

[science_expat]

And don't worry about providing any information about the grad school program to which you're applying. It's summer and they'll have nothing better to do than look up the details for themselves so they can carefully craft recommendation letters.

[crazybatlady]

LOL!

I'm both comforted and horrified to see that despite our switch to the new fora, nothing's changed.

Satire is missed, folks get pissed, wow is dissed, and it all begins again.

[iomhaigh]

You know, calling them at home is not a nice thing to do.  So many people only have cell phones these days that there's a chance you'll use up their cell minutes (and yours!).

You should show up on their front porch during dinner and join them.  That way, you needn't bother with giving them your resume, for you can just talk about yourself with your mouth full of their tasty barbeque.  Oh, you should also make sure to ask for letters from a couple of extra professors, just in case one of them writes something that you do not like once you steam open the signed and sealed envelope. 

Plus, if you time your visits correctly, you can get some doggie bags to take home, and then you won't need to cook for an entire week!

[threadkiller]

You should show up on their front porch during dinner and join them.  That way, you needn't bother with giving them your resume, for you can just talk about yourself with your mouth full of their tasty barbeque. 

Plus, if you time your visits correctly, you can get some doggie bags to take home, and then you won't need to cook for an entire week!

And while you are eating their bar-b-que, drink all of their beer!!!  Especially if you are not 21 (lie and say you are!)  Profs love being charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor!

[oldie]

1. A professor cant not hit you with chalk

2. You can not sleep in class

3. You want to be mean in writing evaluations

4. You dislike their accents

And now, you want to go to Dean.

And want to get references, eh?


It seems something is wrong somewhere, particularly in your thought process.  You don't seem to understand the purpose of references. About you academics, the receiving college would have your grades from transcripts. The referees provide input on your eccentric behavior, if any, and your attitude about education. All major colleges have foreign born professors; you will have them as advisers and examiners; sooner you learn to get along with them better it would be for you.

Consider this: take a course in culture or diversity; approach the same professors as if you approach the native born professors; put request in writing with details about the course, college, address, etc.  You can make appointment and give them the written request; or send it by email.
You will be pleasantly surprised that any professor will support you ambition of higher education!

Your mind is acting up and not focusing on the competition for entering in graduate school.

Good luck!