Reference Letters

I am very happy to write a reference letter for students with whom I interacted closely and, as a result, have sufficient knowledge about their skills and expertise. Please make sure to reach out with letter requests at least 3-4 weeks before the deadline and attach your up-to-date CV, transcripts, details about where you are applying, the evaluation criteria, and the letter's due date.

If I feel I cannot write a strong letter to support your application, I will let you know honestly.

FYI, a good letter is factual and based on concrete evidence of an outstanding student's performance ("shows rather than tells"). Generic statements without concrete evidence are rarely helpful. As an example, graduate school programs typically require to rank applicants on the scale of (top 1%, 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%) and address the following points, while providing specific examples supporting these points:

• Intellectual depth and ability to grasp difficult concepts
• Motivation and perseverance toward goals
• Creativity and originality of thought
• Willingness to take risks and go beyond the normal classroom experience
• Ability to work independently
• Resilience; style of coping with disappointment, failure, or adversity
• Ability to express thoughts in speech and writing