Jim Smith at MSU

Many students each year ask me to write letters of recommendation for them for Professional or Graduate School. In general, I am happy to comply with these requests.

If you would like me to write a letter of recommendation for you, the first thing I ask is that you provide me with the following things:

1. A CV/resume that summarizes your academic background, work experiences, extracurricular activities, and any honors or awards that you've received.
2. A list of the courses that you've taken (with the grades that you received) during your college career. MSU students can access this information easily via STU-INFO (click on "Courses by Term" in the menu.)
3. A copy of the personal statement that you will be submitting with your application. This is a very important piece that tells me a lot about you.
4. The names and addresses of the people to whom the letter should be sent. Please supply any special forms that are required for the school or program to which you are applying.

Once you have provided these things, make an appointment to meet with me for 20-30 minutes to tell me about your future plans and goals. After we talk, I'll have a fairly complete picture of who you are and what you are trying to do, and I'll be able to write a pretty meaningful letter for you.

Good luck with your applications!

Sincerely,

Jim Smith