Thank you gifts to profs who wrote LORs

[stargazerlily]

I have already heard from all of the universities I applied to and I already accepted an offer. Now, I want to give a thank you note to the professors who wrote LORs for me. I don't know what to give except that it would include a thank you letter and an update on my application. Most of the profs who helped me are either diabetic or allergic to chocolates so that's out. What else would be a good token?

[neuropsych76]

I have already heard from all of the universities I applied to and I already accepted an offer. Now, I want to give a thank you note to the professors who wrote LORs for me. I don't know what to give except that it would include a thank you letter and an update on my application. Most of the profs who helped me are either diabetic or allergic to chocolates so that's out. What else would be a good token?

I hear mixed opinions on this. Some people think a thank you email is all you need or some people buy a small gift. I know one student at my school bought her LOR writer a gift and he outright rejected it.

I bought my letter writers each an academic book (i found it really cheap, 6 bucks each) since I know them very well and they helped me throughout my undergrad career. I think it depends on the relationship though

[Jodjod]

I will be sending those that wrote my LOR's hand written thank you letters. I almost always communicate electronically, but this is one of those times a hand written letter is best, IMO.

[peppermint tea]

I gave each of mine a box of tea.

[phoenix245]

Ditto for the handwritten card. It's a nice gesture. One of my referees helped me out a lot throughout my undergrad though and he will probably be getting an awesome gift after the exams are finished!

[Lisa44201]

I'm going to get mine coffee mugs from the University where I'll be headed.

I have already heard from all of the universities I applied to and I already accepted an offer. Now, I want to give a thank you note to the professors who wrote LORs for me. I don't know what to give except that it would include a thank you letter and an update on my application. Most of the profs who helped me are either diabetic or allergic to chocolates so that's out. What else would be a good token?

[Designated]

If you know them well enough, try to think of things they like or enjoy. I sent mine thank you cards & a gift card.

2 of my recommenders who teach at the same school have raved about a particular restaurant on Facebook so I got them gift cards to the restaurant. They were both excited and surprised at the gift. The other recommender is very fashionable and I remember him commenting on stores he likes to shop at so I got him a gift card to one of those stores.

[emmm]

After my application process was over, I gave gifts to 5 people who had really helped me out a lot, including my three references. They were all fine accepting gifts, except for the instructor who I think has had the least experience doing grad school letters (maybe had never done one before). But I was a bully and forced him to accept it -- telling him he deserved it as much as the others, and I was giving gifts to others, not just to him. So, I think he was not very comfortable with the idea, but he's still talking to me. . Most of the people I gave gifts to have transitioned from instructors to friends/mentors. I think most people were happy to know how much I appreciated their efforts, and didn't see the token gifts as anything more than that.

[Tall Chai Latte]

I have already heard from all of the universities I applied to and I already accepted an offer. Now, I want to give a thank you note to the professors who wrote LORs for me. I don't know what to give except that it would include a thank you letter and an update on my application. Most of the profs who helped me are either diabetic or allergic to chocolates so that's out. What else would be a good token?

I wrote them cards. If I know them personally (like, been to their house before), I just mail the card.

[Neuronista]

My LOR writers are my undergrad and MS advisors. so I already gave them gifts when I defended/graduated. I feel it awkward to be giving them more gifts now, isn't it? Not sure.

But what I'll sure be doing if I get accepted into my PhD program is that I'll send them all thank you e-mails, attaching a copy of the acceptance e-mail I'll get (hopefully!). I think that will make them very happy and proud.

I so love Lisa44201's idea of giving them coffee mugs from my grad college. I may do that on my first visit home from grad town

[beanbagchairs]

My LOR writers are my MS advisors too. I already gave them gifts after I defended. I am planning to give them mugs too. One prof that I am particularly close with and had a great sense of humor will be getting a mug with the "world's greatest professor" writing on it. He has been more than helpful.

[Neuronista]

My LOR writers are my MS advisors too. I already gave them gifts after I defended. I am planning to give them mugs too. One prof that I am particularly close with and had a great sense of humor will be getting a mug with the "world's greatest professor" writing on it. He has been more than helpful.

OMG this is exactly like my case! My major advisor was incredibly helpful and he does have wonderful sense of humor and I DID give him a mug that said (#1 advisor) on it!

[nhyn]

OMG this is exactly like my case! My major advisor was incredibly helpful and he does have wonderful sense of humor and I DID give him a mug that said (#1 advisor) on it!

LOL seems like great minds think alike ;-) I gave my prof a shot glass with "#1 Prof!Thank you, (prof name)! - (my name)". He used to be in a rock band for years (you'd be surprised to know how many profs are musically talented/passionate), and got a strong personality with a great sense of humor, so I thought it was super appropriate. For the other prof I bought some cute handmade earrings, since shes ALSO in a (country/folk music) band and I thought it would make a nice accessory for her performance clothes (pretty hippie/country type of thing lol)

anyway you might want to check out websites with personalized gifts (just google it), they're a lot of fun, not too expensive, and of course personalized! Call me cheesy but I love it

[burnt]

I'm going to cook them dinner at my apartment. They're all colleagues and I'm sure with a bottle of wine in the mix it'll be a good time. The two departments with which I'm associated throw pretty classy yet just slightly boozy get-togethers.

[runonsentence]

I wrote handwritten thank you cards and I baked each of them a loaf of banana bread. I had originally thought that baking something would seem kind of commonplace or third-grade-ish, but they were all surprised and touched that I took the time to bake them something and made a big deal out of receiving it.

I have developed a close, personal relationship with all 3 of my writers, but they know exactly how much $$ the master's students make in our department, and I think they would have found it weird if I'd gotten them something that very obviously signifies "I spent money on this" (like the Starbucks giftcard I was originally considering...). And in fact, one of my letter writers tried to refuse my gift (on the grounds that grad students don't need to spend money thanking professors for doing things that are part of their job description). But I was able to force it on him.

[Triple Tall Cappuccino]

I believe, as the other posters mentioned, that it depends on your relationship with your professor. One (who I am very close with) I gave a framed picture of us at an event. Another, a bottle of wine (she is always talking about her love for red wine), and the last one, I gave her a personalized coffee tumbler (full of syntax trees saying how awesome she was) with a Starbucks gift card.

Tea, coffee, or nice framed photos of the two of you always seem to work nicely.

[AmandaLeigh]

Thanks so much guys! My big concern is that he will be on "Semester at Sea" so I don't really know where to send the thank you note! The other two are local, so I will be treating them to coffee and a note.