Recommendations

Supporting Your Application

A recommendation from an academic or professional source, such as a professor, faculty member, mentor, or employer, provides admission committees with insight into your personal qualities, competencies, and even challenges, that make you a fit for the program to which you've applied.   Three recommendations are typically required for a master's or doctoral program while most certificate programs do not require any recommendations.  A brief online form must be completed by your recommender(s).  Letters are optional and may be uploaded within the form; except where specifically and are optional unless required by the program.


Steps to Requesting Recommendations

  1. Research the application requirements for the program to which you plan to apply - and note the application deadline. 
  2. Select the right people to be your recommender(s).  They should be reputable in their field, know your academic and professional qualifications, and be able to complete a positive recommendation.
  3. Let them they will be required to provide a brief, online recommendation form and optionally, upload a letter (unless a letter is required by the program).
  4. Provide them with sufficient time to complete the recommendation and a date by which they need to complete it.  You want all of your recommendations to be submitted well before the application deadline.  
  5. Ask for recommender(s) email address as you will enter this information in your application.  
  6. When you create your application, it will populate with recommender tabs and fields for you to complete.  Make sure you enter the email address correctly and click the "send" button which will send an email to your recommender.
  7. The recommender will receive an email with credentials to a secure site where they can complete the online recommendation.
  8. Once the recommendation is submitted, the recommender will be sent a confirmation email, and you will be copied on the email.  You may also log back in your application to view whether or not the recommendation has been submitted.

Applying to Multiple Programs

Recommendations submitted for one application may not be used for another application.