Any tips on getting recommendation letters?

[arte]

I've asked five professors from undergrad, and so far only one said yes.

one refused, one told me she will reply but haven't heard back from her.

One didn't respond, and the last one I just sent a request mail.

I might be able to get another letter, but I don't know if I'll be able to get the third letter...

I don't have any other people to ask... all the classes I really enjoyed were non-art related classes...(although I got my undergrad degree in visual arts...)

who do you guys ask for recommendation letters?

 

 

 

 

[MastersHoping]

What I am more concerned about is why so many professors seem to be refusing your request for a rec letter.

In my experience, even profs who you've taken one class with and have done decently well in are willing to write a rec letter. Is there a reason you've been having so much difficulty? Do your profs think grad school may not be the best option for you at this time?

 

 

[arte]

What I am more concerned about is why so many professors seem to be refusing your request for a rec letter.

In my experience, even profs who you've taken one class with and have done decently well in are willing to write a rec letter. Is there a reason you've been having so much difficulty? Do your profs think grad school may not be the best option for you at this time?

 

I don't know... I'm pretty confident to say that I did good in at least three out of five of those classes. Maybe not so much with the other two because of my personal issues...and I was interested in other stuffs(like music and science). It has been three yrs since I got my BFA, and maybe its because I asked wrong professors? three of the professors I asked were from my freshman and sophomore years. could that be a reason? 

I just recently went to portfolio day and got my hopes up... and now its down again...

Edited September 29, 2015 by arte

[Relm]

Personally, I'd only want to get recommendation letters from people whose classes I did very well in. 

Another way to put this: I'd only ask those people whose letters I don't have any issue waiving the access right to, because for all practical intents and purposes, I already know what'll go in them. 

If that means you have to get a letter from a different discipline, I think that's fine. Ideally as many as possible would be from art professors who love you, but if those are in short supply and you have a good relationship with a former music or science teacher who can attest to your work ethic, intelligence, maturity, preparedness for graduate study, etc., then I don't see the harm in asking them. 

Your portfolio is far and away the most important determinant of admissions decisions, so I wouldn't sweat it too much. Your situation is what it is, and I'd make the most of it. I'd personally rather submit letters full of praise from professors teaching different disciplines as opposed to art professors who are lukewarm on me. Good luck!

Edited October 1, 2015 by Relm

[arte]

Personally, I'd only want to get recommendation letters from people whose classes I did very well in. 

Another way to put this: I'd only ask those people whose letters I don't have any issue waiving the access right to, because for all practical intents and purposes, I already know what'll go in them. 

If that means you have to get a letter from a different discipline, I think that's fine. Ideally as many as possible would be from art professors who love you, but if those are in short supply and you have a good relationship with a former music or science teacher who can attest to your work ethic, intelligence, maturity, preparedness for graduate study, etc., then I don't see the harm in asking them. 

Your portfolio is far and away the most important determinant of admissions decisions, so I wouldn't sweat it too much. Your situation is what it is, and I'd make the most of it. I'd personally rather submit letters full of praise from professors teaching different disciplines as opposed to art professors who are lukewarm on me. Good luck!

thanks relm... I know that portfolio is the most important factor in the admissions.

In fact, I just sent emails asking two more professors I've been taking classes for whole two years. one said yes, and the other, I've just sent an email asking for an appointment, so will see...

I know I should focus on making more art, but the process itself is really frustrating... I just don't like asking for things...

[willenium]

So last year one of my professors from undergrad let me read the letter he wrote and he mostly wrote about the work that I made in his beginning class which was a little disappointing because my work is totally different now. By the time I read the letter it was too late to ask another person for a recommendation. This year I'm asking my studio mate who knows my practice really well and has a masters already, a professor from undergrad who I still have studio visits with, and a person who runs a gallery that I have been in a few shows at and keep in touch with. Do you guys think this is a good selection? I just think it's important to have people who know your work ethic outside of school to. Am I wrong?

[Relm]

So last year one of my professors from undergrad let me read the letter he wrote and he mostly wrote about the work that I made in his beginning class which was a little disappointing because my work is totally different now. By the time I read the letter it was too late to ask another person for a recommendation. This year I'm asking my studio mate who knows my practice really well and has a masters already, a professor from undergrad who I still have studio visits with, and a person who runs a gallery that I have been in a few shows at and keep in touch with. Do you guys think this is a good selection? I just think it's important to have people who know your work ethic outside of school to. Am I wrong?

Makes sense to me. Think of it in terms of what an admissions committee expects to get out of the letters, and consider whether those people will be able to speak to the admissions committee's expectations. These people will be able to speak to your practice, dedication, seriousness, substantive knowledge, intelligence, maturity, so on and so forth -- and I think it's helpful that they themselves have substantive knowledge about art. I think it also helps that you're submitting letters from people who are in your circles right now, as opposed to people who taught you in undergrad however many years ago. (Which, for me at least, definitely was some years ago.)

I don't know if work ethic outside of school vs in school matters so much as work ethic, period. But it seems you've got that covered. Good luck (:

[cpw0021]

Makes sense to me. Think of it in terms of what an admissions committee expects to get out of the letters, and consider whether those people will be able to speak to the admissions committee's expectations. These people will be able to speak to your practice, dedication, seriousness, substantive knowledge, intelligence, maturity, so on and so forth -- and I think it's helpful that they themselves have substantive knowledge about art. I think it also helps that you're submitting letters from people who are in your circles right now, as opposed to people who taught you in undergrad however many years ago. (Which, for me at least, definitely was some years ago.)

I don't know if work ethic outside of school vs in school matters so much as work ethic, period. But it seems you've got that covered. Good luck (:

I agree completely! I don't have art professors that I can ask because I studied art history, so instead my recommenders are two curators (one who I've worked with for the past year and another I interned with years ago who I've kept a good relationship with) and an artist who's been mentoring me for the past two years. I feel good about asking them because they know my practice, have seen its growth, and I know they firmly support my artistic pursuits.