Hello everyone:

Every term about this time, I get requests for letters of recommendation. Students need them for acceptance into the college they’ve always wanted to go to or for their dream job. Some students will get them; others will not because they are barking up the wrong tree.  Why is that so? Let’s talk.

Students who are always on time for class and turn in assignments that are done to the best of their ability will most likely get letters. Here’s a description of those who won’t:

Student who do the least amount of work at the last minute. If a posting has a minimum requirement of five sentences, they will write five sentences, which includes “nice posting,” “right on, man,” and whatever else they can say that says absolutely nothing. Why even bother if you aren’t going to do it right?

They turn things in after the due date, and then say they were crushed at work that week. It happens every week.

They argue over everything, berating the instructor who dares take 1/2 of one point off (out of 1000 points for the entire term).

They don’t prove reed anything because they think there writing is prefect. I’ve talked about this in the past. Folks, if you are this kind of student, don’t go barking up the wrong tree at the end of the term, to ask me for a letter. You won’t like the letter I would write, if you do.

Best,

Dr. Sheri