Thanking recommenders

[gfl212]

I have officially accepted an offer of admission so I guess my application process is officially over! I now would like to send something to each of my recommenders to thank them for their help, but I am not sure what.

I was thinking of sending flowers or boxes of chocolates..

What do people generally do to thank their recommenders?

Thanks for reading!

[akyl]

good question, I was actually just going to send them an email, but now I think I should probably buy some chocolates...

or is that too much?

what does everyone else think?

[jbriar]

I am going to send a hand written letter to each recommender, with a thoughtful (but inexpensive) gift. However, I have know most of my recommenders 4+ years in a mixture of settings (a couple came to my wedding).

-J

[wildviolet]

I sent handwritten notes and a small gift. I don't think it's too much, especially if you got accepted!

[emmm]

I also gave small gifts and handwritten notes after the whole process was done. I sent updates as results came in, but I was quite close to my recommenders.

[Pinky]

I was wondering the same thing!

I already picked out cards and plan to write letters/notes when everything is done but I was wondering about a gift. I feel like they did a lot for me (and I bugged them quite a bit) during the process so I was thinking that I should add something else. The problem is, I don't know what would be appropriate or if I should even add one at all. I thought about gift cards but they are sort of impersonal and can be expensive...

Have others given gifts and what types of gifts have you given?

[emmm]

Gift cards don't need to be expensive -- I think $10-15 to Starbucks or some such would be appreciated, but not enough to make anyone uncomfortable. I expected one of my recommendors to be uncomfortable accepting a gift, and I was right, but it turned out OK. The other two had no problems with it -- but I think they were more used to being given gifts (i.e. had mentored more students).

[Buckyball60]

I meet my recommenders once in a while for lunch and bought them a nice personal gift releated to their research. They supported me and I support them every year with a presentation at thier symposioum. Thats the advantage of a small college, you are not only a number!

[Cici Beanz]

Somewhere else on the site I read that somebody bought their recommenders mugs from the school they ended up going to. I think I'm going to do that, though of course I've already thanked everybody and updated them in an email...and sent a holiday card back in Dec. to the one prof who helped me out most of all.

[rockhopper]

Somewhere else on the site I read that somebody bought their recommenders mugs from the school they ended up going to. I think I'm going to do that, though of course I've already thanked everybody and updated them in an email...and sent a holiday card back in Dec. to the one prof who helped me out most of all.

If it's okay I'm going to steal this idea

[ANDS!]

If it's okay I'm going to steal this idea

If you REALLY want them to have something unique, might I suggest a Zazzle mug, with your chosen school's emblem on one side, and perhaps a personal message on the other.

[Cici Beanz]

If it's okay I'm going to steal this idea

Seeing as I stole it myself...I say the more the merrier. Mugs for all!!

[Pitangus]

I sent handwritten notes and a small gift. I don't think it's too much, especially if you got accepted!

I also gave small gifts and handwritten notes after the whole process was done. I sent updates as results came in, but I was quite close to my recommenders.

While I tend to just email my thanks to people I have only met once or those with whom I do not have sustained contact, I do think a hand written note is a nice gesture for LOR writers and other longtime contacts.

Like emmm, I sent email updates throughout the admissions process, so a handwritten letter at the end was good for a special "closing" thanks.

[hbeels]

If it's okay I'm going to steal this idea

Me too! Excellent idea...

[Karajan]

I probably OD-d on the thanking, but, once I'd submitted everything, I sent all my recommenders a gift (tried to think of something each would like--just chose a book for each one) and a thank you note. Now that it's all over, I sent them a more generalized thank you note for all the help over the course of my undergrad career + app process. Maybe it's too much thanking, but I know they did a lot of work for me, so I want to show appreciation

[nimo6211]

Oh dear! Never thought of this. I just sent email thank yous I think I am going to follow the lead of two respondents; borrow this idea. Thanks (no pun intended )

Edited April 18, 2012 by Nina Moreno

[-hermes-]

One of my recommenders is in another country. I want to send him a card and a small gift for his desk, but I don't have his address. Well, I do have his office address (corporate), but I'm apprehensive about sending it there unannounced because it may be uncomfortable for him...

Did anyone use a personal address for their recommenders? How does one go about asking for an address while avoiding the entire "oh you don't have to send me anything!" thing?

[ANDS!]

Why would you feel uncomfortable about sending a gift to his place of employment; I'd much rather receive something there than at my home address.

[fillyglory]

If it's okay I'm going to steal this idea

Wonderful idea! I think I'm going to steal it too!

[obsessovernothing]

Somewhere else on the site I read that somebody bought their recommenders mugs from the school they ended up going to. I think I'm going to do that, though of course I've already thanked everybody and updated them in an email...and sent a holiday card back in Dec. to the one prof who helped me out most of all.

Yeah, I second, third or fourth this quote. I'm actually on an academic exchange (what better way to spend your last semester of your undergrad, right?), so I bought all my recommenders coffee mugs from this university. One professor with whom I am particularly close, I also bought a book. Before I went away, though, I bought all of my letter writers books, because they wrote letters which enabled me to go on this exchange and get nominated for a scholarship.

I suppose it depends on how close you are with your letter writers, but conceivably you are pretty close to them because they went out of their way to write you a recommendation. At that, one which contributed to you landing a place in a graduate department.

Edited April 19, 2012 by waiting*it*out