Undergraduate Advising

Recommendation Letters

Students have asked me multiple times if I really take the below seriously. The answer is yes!

A successful recommendation letter takes some consideration and time to write. I will agree to write a letter for students if I believe I can produce a successful letter for them — if my assessment changes in the time between agreeing to write the letter and submitting the letter, I will either decline to write the letter anymore, or reflect my honest assessment in the submitted letter (It is, therefore, in your best interest to do your best work even after I have agreed to, or have previously submitted, a letter for you). If I decline, it is because I do not think I am the right person to produce the letter for the student and when I do not think my letter will be helpful for the student. Please find below some basic expectations I have for students who request a letter of recommendation.

  • You have taken at least once class with me and received A/A- final grade.
  • You have consulted me during my Office Hours at least twice during above time.
  • You have made it clear to me that you would like to ask me for a recommendation letter, whether in-person or by email, during the time that you are/were taking classes with me. This is important because I sometimes get requests from students I don’t recall much about, which is unfortunate for both the student and me.
  • You have requested the letter at least 1 month in advance of a clear deadline with below in email:
    • Your resume or CV
    • The thing for which the letter is needed: The website, the deadline.
    • Instructions on how to submit the letter.
    • A single word document containing
      • Short description, no more than two-three sentences, of why you are applying to the thing.
      • Short description, no more than two-three sentences, of how I know you.
      • Short description, no more than a paragraph, of your notable accomplishments I should mention in the letter.
      • Short description, no more than two-three sentences, of your career plans and how this thing will help you advance those plans.
  • Do send me a reminder email 1 week before the deadline.
  • If you already have a letter from me that you wish updated, you still need to send a timely request by email with a list of updates to include and applicable information from above. It is not guaranteed that I will agree to submit an updated letter, so please be sure to get in touch as soon as you can to confirm this.

It is possible that, even if all of the above expectations are met, I may not be able to agree to write your letter. Always have a back-up writer in mind and reach out early. That I agree to write you a letter is, obviously, not an exemption from attending class or submitting work on time if you are currently enrolled in my class.

Advising Senior Papers, Honors Thesis, and other Projects

Thank you for your interest in working me on your project. As much as I want to work with every student who seeks my advising, I have limited time and multiple commitments at any given moment, and I value advising and want to give my best to advisees I do take on. It is best if you reach out to me as early as possible with the below things to confirm if we can work together.

Honors Thesis I take one student as honors thesis advisee at a time so that I can give adequate attention and support to the projects I advise. The best way to approach me on the question is to reach out to me by email after reviewing my expectations for advisees and preparing the following, no later than Spring quarter of your junior year:

  • You have taken at least one class with me and received A/A- final grade.
  • You have consulted me during my Office Hours at least twice during that time.
  • A brief explanation of the advisor’s responsibilities and expected timeline and process (if not NU’s ALC thesis).
  • Your resume or CV, if you have one.
  • Think about why you want to write a thesis. How does it help you and your plans? Include in the email a sentence or two detailing your intention for doing this project and how I fit in.
  • A one paragraph (no more than 150 words) description of your potential topic/project. This is only tentative and your project will of course change, but this description gives me a sense of whether I am the right person for your project
  • I expect clear and consistent communication efforts and will give structured writing deadlines to my advisees, even if you don’t always meet them. I also can be blunt in my critical feedback and will not chase after missing drafts — I leave it up to you to find the reason to complete your projects and check in with me. If this is not your preferred way to work or to be advised, I may not be the right person to advise you. Not everyone finds this helpful, and that is okay.

Senior Paper I take one senior paper advisee at a time, if I don’t already have an honors thesis advisee. I only make exceptions to this when I have previously discussed your intention to pursue my advising for a given year well in advance and we have at least two years of working together already. You are more likely to secure my advising the earlier you reach out with the below, no later than the spring of your junior year. I will not be able to advise a senior paper into an honors thesis if we did not agree to it initially at that point — this is because it’s a process that takes a lot of work and planning for both the advisor and the advisee. You may still reach out over the summer or the fall of your senior year, but I may not be able to take you on if I already have other advisees or be able to set aside adequate attention for your projects, the later you reach out to me.

  • Preferences will be given to students who have taken courses with me, if there are multiple inquiries. While I may take students who have not done coursework with me, a good question to think about is whether a faculty member you have previously worked with might not be a better fit for your studies.
  • You have reached out and set up an Office Hour appointment to discuss your senior paper plan in the Spring of your junior year or earlier.
  • Your resume or CV, if you have one.
  • Think about why you want to write a senior paper (other than that it is a requirement). How does it help you and your plans? Include in the email a sentence or two detailing your intention for doing this project and how I fit in.
  • A one paragraph (no more than 150 words) description of your potential topic/project. This is only tentative and your project will of course change, but this description gives me a sense of whether I am the right person for your project

Other Projects Reach out to me by email with clear description of where I fit into your project and then you can set up an office hour appointment to discuss further. It would be helpful if you include the below in your email. Depending on my availability and the nature of your project, I may or may not agree to work further on your project. If you are reaching out to me to attain references, I encourage you to work with subject librarians instead, who would be better able to assist your research. I decline any request for a turnaround of less than two weeks and requests to help with final projects for coursework.

  • Where I fit into your project
  • Your project (what, how, why)
  • Anticipated time commitment
  • Your studies (majors/minors/certificates)