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The School of Information is UC Berkeley’s newest professional school. Located in the center of campus, the I School is a graduate research and education community committed to expanding access to information and to improving its usability, reliability, and credibility while preserving security and privacy.

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MIMS Admissions: Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are a way for the admissions committee to hear about how wonderful you are directly from someone who has worked with you. These letters reinforce what we have learned about you from other areas of your application. We want to know about your career achievements, the impact you’ve had in your role, your ability to collaborate and be a team player, your leadership skills, your potential for further growth and success, and more.

Asking someone to write a letter of recommendation can be a nerve-wracking task! You might be concerned that your recommender will miss the submission deadline or forget to share an especially impressive accomplishment. To help you get started, here are some actions we suggest you take:

Approach your potential recommenders right away. We recommend scheduling a meeting with them to discuss your interest in applying to MIMS.

To ensure your meeting is productive, we suggest preparing an outline that lists your achievements, career goals, areas for improvement, and details about why you are interested in pursuing MIMS.

Once your recommender has agreed to write a letter for you, input their contact details into your application and follow up via email with important information. Your email should include your appreciation of their time, the outline you prepared, answers to any questions they asked during your meeting, and the letter of recommendation submission deadline.

Common Questions and Answers

Do you prefer academic or professional letters of recommendation?

Because MIMS is a professional program, and we expect students to be able to draw on their professional experiences, we prefer professional letters of recommendation. If you have limited professional experience, that is OK! We will accept a mixture of academic and professional letters.

Who should write my letter of recommendation?

We recommend you select individuals from current or recent employment, within the last 3–5 years. The title or status of those you select is not important. What is most important is that your recommender can attest to and provide specific examples of your value, impact, accomplishments, and potential.

Tip: The best choices are most often your current and/or previous direct supervisors. We do not recommend choosing personal or family friends, colleagues (unless they have supervised your work), or individuals you have supervised.

How can my letters of recommendation stand out?

Most of the recommendations we see are positive. But the stellar recommendations — the ones that stand out and make an impact on us — are those whose recommenders seem genuinely invested and take the time to write thoughtful, detailed letters full of strong examples about performance, impact, potential, and personal attributes.

Tip: Don’t forget that letters of recommendation are just one aspect of your application in a thorough, holistic review process. Although, as stated above, we are expecting that recommendations will reinforce and expand on your strengths and accomplishments, we will learn about many of these successes straight from your resume and essays — so do not be concerned that your recommenders may forget to share every last thing with us!

If I am reapplying, can I reuse letters of recommendation from my previous application?

Yes, you may use previous application materials in your reapplication, but it may be in your best interest to share up-to-date information and materials with us.

If you choose to reuse your previous recommendation letters, please complete the relevant recommender fields, and select Save. After selecting Save, please send an update to [email protected] , and the admissions team will upload your previous letters directly to your application.

How do I know if my recommenders have submitted their letters of recommendation?

You will receive an email after your recommender has completed and submitted their letter. You can also confirm receipt by checking your application status page .

My recommenders did not receive a link. How do I proceed?

This is a common issue for recommenders who have business email addresses that filter out .edu email addresses. Ask your recommender to check their spam folder for an email from [email protected] . If they cannot find the email, you have two options: 1) Go back into your application and choose to “exclude” your recommender. Then, re-enter the recommender information, using their personal email address. 2) Email their name(s) to us at [email protected] , and we will send them a personal email link.

How do I follow up with my recommenders?

After sending the initial invitation to your recommenders, you may send reminder emails via the “Recommendations” page which you can find linked at the bottom of your application status page . You may continue to send reminders after you submit your application.

Can I submit my application if my recommenders have not yet submitted their letters?

Yes, you may submit your application before your letters of recommendation have been submitted.

Can I add recommendations after I have submitted my application?

You may add recommenders if you have not already had three letters submitted to your application. You can add recommenders via the “Recommendations” page linked at the bottom of your application status page .

Can we use a personal email address for our recommender?

Yes, if your recommender can no longer access their business email address, you may enter their personal email address.

Can I use Interfolio for my recommendations?

Yes, Interfolio will provide you with a specific email address for each letter that can be entered into the recommendation field.

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The Do's and Don'ts of Asking for Letters of Recommendation

• by Abigail Loomis
• July 13, 2022

A good letter of recommendation (L.O.R.) can truly set you apart from other applicants. Some schools do not accept them, but many, many do and they can also land you a private scholarship. Hopefully, you already have a teacher, community college professor or coach in mind.

Do: Find a Recommender Who Knows You

This letter is meant to show colleges and outside scholarship organizations (such as foundations, nonprofits and businesses) who you are and what kind of person you are. You need to find someone from whom you have taken multiple classes or have known for a while. They don’t need to know your deepest darkest secrets, but they should know why you are pursuing college or transferring to a four-year university, and what you are interested in.

Search for Outside Scholarships

UC Davis can help you get started on your scholarship search.

Don’t: Ask for a L.O.R.  Just Because They Gave You a Good Grade

This relates to the above tip. It sounds like a good idea to ask the teacher who gave you the best grade for a L.O.R., but you need to think about it for a minute. Were you particularly verbal in class? Did you have discussions with your teacher? Would they be able to recognize you if you were wearing a wig?

A good grade does not equal a good recommendation. If you aced all the tests but did not interact much in class or were disruptive, reconsider.

Do: Ask Them During Lunch, Office Hours, or After Class

It is best to ask for a letter of recommendation in a more personal setting. By asking when they are free, you can tell them what you need the letter for and what your plans are. If you ask them during class or with others around, they may feel pressured and uncomfortable. In addition, if they deny your request, at least only the two of you will know, saving your ego.

Emailing them is a good option if you are feeling shy about asking; but generally speaking, it is better to ask them face to face. If it has been a semester or so since they last saw you, it can be helpful for them to see and interact with you before they write the L.O.R. 

Here is an example of how you can ask a recommender if they are interested!

Hello (name), this is (your name). I hope you are doing well! I really enjoyed my time with you in (class/activity you had with them). Right now I am applying to (college or scholarship, mentioning general facts i.e. what is your intended major or why you are applying), and since you know me well, I was wondering if you could write me a letter of recommendation. I understand that you must be busy with classes and other things, but I would greatly appreciate this. If you are able to, the deadline is (date). Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I hope you are having a great week.

This can be adjusted for your own personal needs, and can be used to ask the recommender over email or in person. Remember to be kind, patient, and understanding.

Don’t: Ask Right Before the Time You Need it!

Ok, this is super important. If you ask them right before your deadline, they will either reject your request, not finish it on time or be forced to rush it and end up giving you a low-quality L.O.R. Ideally, you should ask your recommender for the letter about two months in advance. This is a long timeline that puts minimal pressure on them and allows them to focus on the L.O.R.

In some ( but not all! ) instances, a recommender may ask you to look over the L.O.R. before they finalize it. By asking further in advance, you have the possibility to double check the L.O.R. to see if they wrote your name correctly, which is super important. Even if they have known you for years, ensure that they have not used four different spellings of your name (I am speaking from experience).

Relating to College Professors

Read here to find the best tips and tricks for getting to know your professors.

Do: Check In With Them!

Obviously, you should avoid pestering them, but after about the one-month mark, start checking in every other week. This reminds them (excellent for well-meaning, but forgetful folks) and shows them that you are being active in your college application process. Be sure to thank them for the letter when you ask!

In some instances, your recommender will need to send the L.O.R. directly to the university or outside scholarship organizations. If this is the case, make sure that they understand what they need to do, and when they need to do it.

While not all schools in the UC system require a L.O.R. for UC scholarships or admission, many universities and scholarships do, so they are important to keep in your toolkit. A good L.O.R. can really push your application over the edge and make you a more competitive candidate. College and transfer application season can be frightening and confusing, but with the right tips and tricks , you can do it.

Abigail Loomis is a political science student and student editor of the UC Davis admissions blog. She is from Placerville, California and enjoys spending time with the Eggheads on campus.

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