Letters of Recommendation for PhD Programs

[SBuk]

2 Questions

1.) Do LORs get sent along with the application (i.e., do recommenders submit it to an online portal at the same time or before I submit the application) or can they/should they submit after I submit the application. 

2.) I heard a recommender will get access to all materials in the application (transcripts, SOPs, essays, etc.) when they are asked to write the LOR. Is this true? 

Thanks so much!

SBuk

[Jim VK]

Depends on the program, but letters of recommendation are submitted in an online portal by the person who writes the referral. Here's the process for Stanford Business: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/phd/admission/application-materials/recommendation-letters

[John Watson]

Yeah, your professors will submit your letters of recommendation via an online portal. They will do that when it's convenient for them, and they may or may not do that in a synchronous manner with respect to your own applications. If your professors are not submitting letters on time, you can send them a gentle reminder or resend the link of recommendation letter prompt. If some of your letters are still missing, you should submit your application by the deadline, your professors will be able to submit the letters after the deadline of your application (there may be a deadline for letters of recommendation, which can be later than the application deadline, depending on individual school and program).

 

A recommender may not get access to your application materials, at least not in America, or it should be extremely rare in America. However, a recommender may ask you for your CV, transcripts, and/or statement of purpose, before they write the letter. In such a case, you may give them your materials