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[avaya]

I have a student who is REALLY bright, very analytical, and very hard working.  The problem is, he's lately become extremely egotistical and thinks that he's the most brilliant student ever (and in fact that he's smarter than me and the rest of his profs).  He's begun dominating in class and when I talked with him about, he decided to "show me" by not talking in class at all the next class period.  We actually had a great discussion in class - so many more people spoke up because they had "room" to speak and they had some great points.  Well, this student then tells me how poor the quality of discussion was and how wrong everyone else was in their discussion points.  (I told him he was incorrect, that other students had great points, but he insisted I was mistaken.)  The other problem is the student is somewhat lazy and now that he thinks he's brilliant, he doesn't believe he has to do much research, and thus some of his conclusions in his work are wrong b/c they just don't match up with the facts.

So here's my question.  What do I write in a letter of recommendation for a job?  The student is REALLY bright and when he does thorough research, he does really brilliant, original analysis. But his social skills stink and I personally wouldn't want him as a co-worker or subordinate.  Any advice appreciated.

[dale1]

Don't write him a letter if you cannot support him without substantive reservations, which it sounds like you have.

[zharkov]

I'd tend to go with Dale on this, but the other option is just to mention the positive qualities (bright, etc.) and leave off any mention of the social skills and such.

It also depends on the kind of job involved. Private sector employers will often call you when you provide a recommendation, and a stock question is "what weaknesses does this candidate have?"  Depending on how you feel, you can let on he's an immature brat, or just say he "needs some polishing."

[assocpolysciprof]

You have no obligation to write a recommendation letter on behalf of this student, even if he or she is very bright, analytical, and hardworking. If, based upon your classroom experience and interactions outside of class, you have concluded that the student lacks proper social skills or is simply immature, you should politely, but firmly, reject his/her request for a recommendation. You might also explain why you cannot write a supportive recommendation letter. I think that would be a better alternative than writing a letter that expresses hesitations about the student's social skills or damns the student with feint praise. Although this may seem harsh, it might be a "teaching moment" for the student and possibly a service to the potential employer.

I had a similar experience with a senior this past year. He had taken three classes with me (beginning sophomore year). This particular student was extremely bright and articulate. His research papers for my classes were quite sophisticated and well written. However, the kid is a bit of an egomaniac. He dominated every class discussion. During my lectures, he would even complete my sentences! When I discussed this with him (in private after class), he would promise to change his behavior and then revert to the same patterns within two week. Furthermore, he was the most frequent visitor to my office hours. This student did not need academic assistance. Rather he craved attention. His office visits degenerated into monologues. The student showed up at my office during Reading Period (my regular office hours had ended for the semester). He saw that I was grading research papers. Without pausing or asking if I had time to speak with him, he asked me to both sign a copy of my book and to write a recommendation letter on his behalf. I politely and firmly declined both requests.

[conjugate]

As others have pointed out, you need not write a letter for this student.  Of course, the student will probably assume you did it from personal animosity and/or jealousy of the student's brilliance, but who cares?  It sounds like anybody who spends a few minutes with this kid will quickly figure out that he faces his biggest problem only when he looks in the mirror.

If you feel obliged for some reason, write a letter that sticks closely to provable facts.  I know from personal experience that lots of search committees look at what isn't in the letter as much as what is. 

"Very bright, very analytical, capable of hard work when appropriately challenged."  The "capable of" ought to make a selection committee at least think carefully.  By the way, you describe this student as "very hard working" and "somewhat lazy... doesn't believe he has to do much research...."  I take this to mean that he was hard-working to begin with, and kind of lapsed when he found out he could get by with less?

But assocpolysciprof made a good point; it would be better to find a way to teach the student what he's overlooking.  Have you tried to point out to him that "some of his conclusions in his work are wrong b/c they just don't match up with the facts," and if so how has he responded?

[avaya]

Thank you for the excellent advice.  assocpolysciprof, your student sounds remarkably similar to mine ... he hogs my office hours just sitting there talking and I can barely get a word in edgewise.  I have said to him, are you here to talk with me or at me?  Because of him, I actually now have students sign up for 15 minute slots.  Another professor in my department called him "extremely high maintenance," and I would agree.

conjugate, you are correct that this student was hard-working to begin with and now has become very sloppy.  He still works very hard on topics he loves, but others, he slacks off on.  In fact, he announced to the whole class, "I barely do any of the reading in this class!"  I was standing right there.  Someone said, "That's a pretty dumb thing to say in front of the professor."  I said, "One what sows, one will reap," and left it at that.  Nonetheless he still gets As because my assignments are mainly geared toward creating original analysis.  Well, that and the big research assignment, he picked a topic he really liked and thus did a great job with the research.

I have talked with him about how his sloppy research gets him in trouble with the facts.  His first reaction is to tell me I'm wrong, in front of the whole class.  So unemotionally I will spout out 10 facts that relate to the situation that show I clearly am right.  Then students will tell him, "Burned!" but he just laughs.  The sad thing is, I don't know if he internalizes it.  I'm not an authoritarian-style person, but maybe I should say, "Excuse me, did you just tell me I'm WRONG?"  I don't, it's more fun to embarrass him with the facts.

Here's what's really getting me about this situation.  This was a student who no one had any faith in.  He was getting mediocre grades and didn't know what he was going to major in, and he took an intro class with me.  He got really interested and I encouraged him a great deal, and I worked with him on his writing skills.  He worked tremendously hard and pulled off an A in the class.  He started taking more classes with me, doing really well.  Now I'm his advisor and I've actually helped him with some career thinking.  So I am quite proud of him ... or I guess I should say, was proud of him.  I actually have told him that his ego is out of control and it's hurting his work b/c he's become sloppy.  So I guess that's what I can tell him when he asks for a letter of recommendation ... I would love to, but his work has really suffered lately and his behavior in class has not been professional, so it would probably be better for him to ask a professor who could write a more positive letter.  I could also say, If your work and behavior changed, perhaps I could reconsider.  However, to be honest, I don't know if it will change and how long I would need to see it changed before I would change my mind.

Maybe I should just be honest with him and say, What the heck has happened?  You used to be an outstanding student, and now due to this egomania, your work stinks and you're unprofessional in the class.  What's up?

Any more thoughts?

[untenured]

In cases such as this I write a positive recommendation.  I write postively about negative characteristics too.  For example, I had an academically strong student who no doubt had the brains to succeed in life but was a total nudge throughout the semester.  More practice problems, more office hours, more this, more that.  Argh!  Her average never dipped below 95 and all that needyness did nothing to impact her scores.

Needless to say, she asked me to write a letter of recommendation.

So I talked at length about smart she was.  I also said something like this (a bit less dramatic though):

"One of Julie's most important qualities was her persistence.  She was dilligent in attending my office hours.  In fact, she was so dilligent that she attended virtually every office hour session for the entire semester.  At the end of class, there she was, right at the door waiting.  I have never received more questions from a student than from her.  I will not easily forget her!"

Looks positive, but gets the point across. :)

Untenured

[seniorscholar]

If the student is, in my opinion, capable of doing whatever it is (job, grad school, etc.) I will write a letter detailing strengths and mentioning weaknesses (usually in the "if admitted, s/he will need a supervisor who is able to cope with mood swings" rather than "spoiled brat who loses temper all the time" mode). It's possible that I take this approach because I have a UK doctorate (and that is, or at least was in my day, the accepted reference letter there) but honestly, as a search committee member OR a grad director I would prefer to have all the cards on the table. If we decide we want to take a chance on a super-bright but sometimes careless PhD student, and someone on the graduate faculty will commit to riding herd on him/her, we know what we're getting into. If no one will write anything except glowing phrases about anyone, we're operating in the dark. Same goes for recommendation letters for faculty. We sweat over them with a big magnifying glass when we get to the shortlist for which we've requested letters: doesn't mention anything that speaks to potential collegiality -- is that a red flag? every letter talks about "persistence" -- does that mean "pain in the butt?" I'd much rather be in a position to judge what we can handle than have to play these guessing games.

[oldie]

He is a good person for graduate studies.

Sometimes we all have to look at our own group dynamics skills. If the discussion is not well managed and instructor poorly prepared, some students jump in and take over; they just cant slow their thought process to the class room's pace. They should drop-out if they can; however this may not always be possible. Nevertheless, this is going to be in real world too and would affect other team dynamics. Such students should seek career in academics like us...(LOL)

Since you say he has been bright, he probably can get better references from others than what you can offer.

[avaya]

He is a good person for graduate studies.

Sometimes we all have to look at our own group dynamics skills. If the discussion is not well managed and instructor poorly prepared, some students jump in and take over; they just cant slow their thought process to the class room's pace. They should drop-out if they can; however this may not always be possible. Nevertheless, this is going to be in real world too and would affect other team dynamics. Such students should seek career in academics like us...(LOL)

Since you say he has been bright, he probably can get better references from others than what you can offer.

Wow, this was pretty presumptuous.  It also doesn't sound as though you read what I wrote.  The kid was getting mediocre grades.  Other profs think he's high maintenance.  I'm the one who took an interest in him, helped him improve his writing, and encouraged him to apply for internships and jobs.  And yet I'm the bad guy here?

FWIW, I have encouraged him to apply to graduate school.  His analytical talent and ability to create unique insights would take him far in a PhD program.  Plus he could specialize in an area he loved (and thus would apply himself in the research).  So you haven't thought of anything new here, oldie - I've already discussed this with him.  His answer?  "I want to work in the real world."  I told him, Fine, but at least take the GREs and apply to some schools, so if your dream job doesn't pan out, you have something to do come next fall.

PS  I don't know if you meant to imply that I'm a poorly prepared instructor ... I'm not.  I run great discussion classes and students love them.  My student comments are along the lines of, "This was the hardest class I've ever taken, but it was so worth it."  My dean actually told me, "I've never seen such high evals in a new professor, especially one giving out more Cs than As."  Except in my two intro classes, all my classes are discussion oriented -- no exams, just papers and presentations.

[oldie]

it looks like I owe an apology. If the problem is in every class....than he is a prob.

However, others might have implied that an exceptional student was hogging their time. In such a situation, dont let it happen in the first place by having clear policies, etc.

[dale1]

It sounds like you've come to at least the beginnings of a decision.  I'm hoping you opt not to write the letter, or if you write it, write it honestly.

[avaya]

it looks like I owe an apology. If the problem is in every class....than he is a prob.

However, others might have implied that an exceptional student was hogging their time. In such a situation, dont let it happen in the first place by having clear policies, etc.

No problem ... you are absolutely correct that clear policies can keep a student from monopolizing office hours.  I didn't have those policies before this student started to do that, but now I do. :-)  Lesson learned!

[larryc]

When he asks you for a letter, tell him no and direct him to this thread.

[avaya]

Thank you everyone for all your comments.  I really appreciate it.

The student just learned a very hard lesson.  I had already written him a letter last fall (back before he became an egomanic) and he was in the running for a very prestigous internship/scholarship combo.  They had selected about 20 students nationwide to interview.  He emailed me after the interview and described how it went - it was obvious he was being egotistical etc in the interview.  (For example, he told me they asked about his long range career goals, and he said "Well, if your company continues to challenge me, I'll stay, otherwise I might leave.")  (Obviously I told him that wasn't very smart to say.)

I told him, "If you would like, I can help you work on your interview skills, everyone needs help with those."  He replied, "I prefer to be natural in the interview, I know I should try to sell myself but I don't feel like it."

Well guess what?  He just got a rejection letter - he was not selected as a winner.  He's in total shock, he was sure they would pick him.

At this point, I now feel like I'm casting pearls before swine.  I'm done with this student unless he comes to me asking for help (sincerely).  If he asks me for another letter, I will tell him that I will have to revise the letter based on his performance and that it will include references to his less-than-stellar work and behavior.

Thanks again and I definitely learned some lessons throughout this experience.  One would be that not everyone is willing to change their behavior to succeed.  So sad!