Post-LOR professor gift ideas?

[Chops13]

Hello, I just finished my application process and I want to get 3 of my professors gift and write a thank you note for writing and submitting LOR's for my 14 applications. Their persistence and willingness to help me really meant a great deal and I want to get them something to show them my appreciation.

 

I wanted to check with others and see if anyone had any interesting ideas, spending cap of like $90 total, no more than $30 each. Thanks:)!

Edited January 21, 2014 by Jcpalmer

[Solnce]

I have been thinking about it too. Still don't know.

[PsycD]

A bottle of wine.

A gift card to their favorite restaurant.

A spa gift card (for the women).

A friend of mine who was an artist painted a picture for each of her LOR writers.

Starbucks gift cards (almost everyone likes those).

[PsycD]

Professors know each other pretty well. Ask someone else in the department what your LOR writers like.  I used to work for the wife of one of my LOR writers, so I'm asking her for suggestions.

[reinhard]

A hug.

[Icydubloon]

Handshake and thank you in person should suffice.

[legan]

Mine are getting a (very long) thank you note. I sort of think LORs are part of their job, and unless they did something out of the ordinary, I wouldn't do much beyond that.

 

Actually, I'll probably take one of them out for drinks, but that's it.

[roguesenna]

when I graduated from the schools where my LORs teach, I got them each a really nice book that was germaine to their expertise (one was a collection of famous playbills in a really nice hardbound book, another was a history of musical theatre, I think). I might send them each a little something when I find out for sure where I'm going (so I can include that in the note). otherwise, my written thanks will have to suffice. I'm poor.

[Angua]

I went to Etsy for my letter writers (although I'm closer to them than I would be to the average professor, having worked extensively with them for a while), and got something personal for each of them that related to their tastes.  E.g., one got a vintage movie poster, one got a cool handmade necklace, etc. Along with a sincere thank you card, of course.

[roguesenna]

lol, angua I love your signature. have you played mass effect? it reminds me of Mordin's "Scientist Salarian" song.

[elanorci]

I was planning to get mine some nice chocolate (selected in consultation with other students of theirs / other faculty) and a thank you note, fwiw. 

[Maleficent999]

I was thinking about perhaps a mug with the logo of whatever school I (hopefully) end up going to and some nice, high quality coffee or tea.

[obaka]

I was thinking about perhaps a mug with the logo of whatever school I (hopefully) end up going to and some nice, high quality coffee or tea.

That's a really cute idea. I don't live anywhere near two of my letter writers and mailing a package would be too overwrought so I think I'll write them a thank you note in a card from the school I ultimately decide on.

[barnardbonnu]

I was thinking about perhaps a mug with the logo of whatever school I (hopefully) end up going to and some nice, high quality coffee or tea.

 

That's a pretty cool idea.

[pachel]

I was thinking about perhaps a mug with the logo of whatever school I (hopefully) end up going to and some nice, high quality coffee or tea.

 

I had that idea too! I like it, but I'm most likely at this point in time going to end up at Ohio State ... and all my LOR writers are Michiganders! Might not go over very well 

 

If you're out-of-state relative to your letter-writers, how are you sending them the thank yous? Package to their office address?

[DeVryGrad06]

Here is one of the gifts I made a LOR professor (She is an American historian and enjoys My Little Pony)

http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae267/js145709/FLATPONY_zpsdf1a1b57.jpg

 

I am getting it printed at Staples for $1 and framing it, haha.

Edited January 23, 2014 by SolarTemple

[DeVryGrad06]

This may or may not be of importance. Most of the adult fans of My Little Pony are fans of the current generation of the series, which is My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. The picture you linked is of a previous gen, which is mostly held to much lower regard.

 

I could see how that would be an issue. Fortunately, she enjoys the 1980s verison.

[STEAM116]

Someone mentioned books: I think I'm going that route for two of my profs, and getting some really good coffee for the other one. But I'm not 100% on the coffee yet...

[scottdickson86]

Cuff links, tie bar, envelope opener, leather binder. 

[scottdickson86]

Someone mentioned books: I think I'm going that route for two of my profs, and getting some really good coffee for the other one. But I'm not 100% on the coffee yet...

 

Good coffee sounds nice. A french press would be a good idea too. 

[bhr]

I'm waiting until I graduate in May (a personal thank you will suffice until then), but then my four LOR writers are going to get a mid-line ($30ish) bottle of booze. Just didn't want to make it weird before that time.

[aurora_nova]

I'm waiting until I graduate in May (a personal thank you will suffice until then), but then my four LOR writers are going to get a mid-line ($30ish) bottle of booze. Just didn't want to make it weird before that time.

 

I'm also waiting until May for actual gifts. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to get my LOR writers...probably some nice chocolate or gift cards to a restaurant or something. One of them really loves going to the movies (he and his wife try and go every weekend), so I think for him I'm going to get a gift card to the local movie theater. In the meantime, I've already thanked all of them, and when I hear back from the schools I applied to, I'll be giving them thank you cards. I figure that will make the actual gifts at the end of the school year more of a surprise...

[meowth]

Not sure. I don't think I know them that well. I saw an acquaintance give my letter writer (since she was her letter writer too) a book and it just looked awkward (gift giving even with FRIENDS has been awkward for me). It just always seems like an odd forced thing where one person has to pretend they like the gift even if they don't. Like, it might be fun, but just... I'm too concerned with just giving them junk that'll just take up space. And gift cards seem weird too. Gift cards are the things that relatives send me when they barely know me, often for places I would never even go to.

 

I think I'll do my best to write a nice thank-you note?

[scottdickson86]

I think I'll do my best to write a nice thank-you note?

 

I think a nice thank you note is a great idea. I'm thinking about writing the note on the first empty page of the book "How NASA Builds Teams." One of the persons who wrote my LOR is a section manager for product engineers. I'll keep the note short and sweet too cause I think it sounds more profound that way. Haha. 

[Lifesaver]

I'm buying mine nice pens. No, not the kind you get at Staples in bulk. A nice pen. Probably a Cross or something.