include mentors' names?

[albertlee]

So in my resume/personal statement, is it considered OK to mention the names of people who supervised me on projects? Do I have to go ask each one of them before I do this?

So I had 4 research projects, each with a different mentor. I decide to only ask for the most recent two mentors for letters. The third one will be from my own school.

Another concern is, if I do mention all the names, is it likely that the admission committee goes about asking mentors I had from the more distant past whom I don't letters from? I didn't perform nearly as well in my first two research projects.......

please help

thanks so much

[Usmivka]

1. Yes.

2. Yes, if you plan to give out their contact info.

3. I wouldn't choose your letters based on how recently you worked with someone or where they are based, but on how well they can address your academic and research ability and potential.

4. No, adcomms are lazy. They might check with the most recent person named.

[albertlee]

thanks for the reply but for:

2) I don't plan on giving out their contact info. I just would like to mention their name, that's all. For instance, "I did XXX under Dr. Doe." For such simple name mentioning, do I still have to go through the hassle of contacting each one of the researchers I've worked with? It takes days for them to respond.

3) It just turns out that the most recent mentors I had would write the best letters because of my performance in their groups.

4) So since my two of my letters are coming from my most recent two mentors, my question is then, would CS adcoms go on asking people whom I've worked with in the more distant past? I don't mind the adcoms checking with the most recent one since I am getting a letter from him any way....

please clarify more

thanks

[anacron]

Since you're not providing contact info, its not such a big issue. All you're doing is saying that you worked with this person at some point. I did this in my cv (without asking) and sent that cv out to each reference writer - didn't have any complaints. However, if you feel compelled to double check why not just put their names down and also email them... you can make the appropriate change once they respond. In my experience, this isn't a big deal.

With hundreds (if not thousands) of applicants, its infeasible for them to get in contact with each mentor that you've had. You actually answered this question yourself... it would take some time to get all the responses so its basically pointless trying to contact everyone. The adcoms won't have much more time than to read 3 references.