Should I send my recommenders a small gift?

[shockwave]

My references have been very supportive of my applications. They will be submitting 12 LoR's for me and have been very helpful through my supervision. I was hoping to send them a small token of gratitude. A holiday card is definitely one thing, but should I get them something else that is small too? Perhaps something like under $20 that they would find nice? Or is that not a good idea?

[Porridge]

I did and will.

[emmm]

I did too -- but one prof was a bit uncomfortable accepting a gift. It worked out OK, though. We're still on good terms :-)

[lilgreycells]

I gave all my recomenders gifts during my application season and they really seemed to appreciate it. The dollar limit is a good idea. My recommenders were 2 faculty that I am extremely close with (celebrated holidays with their families before) and my supervisor from my job so I set my limit a bit higher but as long as you feel comfortable with the amount I think you're good to go!

[moody]

If you do it should be something small - like maybe some cookies you baked. It can get into uncomfortable ethical territory if it seems like more than a small gesture of appreciation. Much more important is for you to keep your letter writers informed about the outcome - it is always gratifying to hear that you wrote a letter that helped someone get admitted to a good program / receive a scholarship / etc.

[shockwave]

Well what would you recommend if they are in three different areas of the country? I was planning on mailing them a gift of some kind during the holiday season but they are literally in three different regions of the U.S.

[moody]

Honestly, I would say just send a card. Really. I would feel quite uncomfortable receiving a gift in the mail.

[TakeruK]

I was also worried about the ethical issues of providing a gift while they were writing letters (although maybe it wasn't a big problem since I already given gifts to these people before) and/or while they were still supervising my work and could potentially be part of my thesis defense committee! And half of my recommenders were far away (at my undergrad school) and I didn't want to send them a gift in the mail either.

So my solution was to write appreciative emails to everyone at this time and then I waited until August 2012 (when my MSc degree was finished) before writing another card and attaching a small gift. At that time, I was also able to provide more details in the note and I was able to convey my excitement and my gratefulness for their help in getting me the exciting PhD opportunity! I was able to circumvent the "mailing gifts" problem because I went back home to visit my family before going to my PhD school so I was able to visit my undergrad school during that time.

[Quant_Liz_Lemon]

I gave all my recommenders gifts. They weren't big or flashy. Just $20 galilean thermometers. I doubt that it would influence them. However, I don't believe I would have if I had had to mail them.

Edited December 1, 2012 by Quant_Liz_Lemon

[Loseric]

OP, I am in the same boat. My recommenders are all at my undergraduate institution and I am across the country, so as much as I would like to, I can't give them a simple gift, like baked goods, in person. They'll be writing 10 LORs for me, which I know is a big investment of their time, and I want to show some appreciation. Would a $10 or $15 gift card to somewhere like Starbucks included with my thank you notes be inappropriate? (I'd send it AFTER the letters were written, of course.)

Edited December 4, 2012 by Loseric

[kaputzing]

Because I don't want to make another thread:

I'm applying to the school I'm current at, in the department I'm already in, and my letter writers are all in this department. I want to send them small gifts as a sign of thanks, but I'm afraid it'll be seen as a bribe, since at least 2/3 of them are on the school's admissions committee! I suppose in this case just a simple card would be best (and I am thinking I'd just toss it in their school mailbox since I don't have the home addresses for most of them)? And then after results come in, I'll send them an additional something I suppose.