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yooo how do u email a prof for a recommendation letter?

Hi Professor!

I am in the process of applying to ____ and they require letters of rec. I sincerely enjoyed your classes, and felt that they gave me a particularly good chance to display my strengths, such as ____ [class participation, writing, etc.] and would love for you to write me a letter, if you’d be willing. The due date is ____, and I can send you further instructions for submission later if you accept.

Attached to this email is ____, the piece of work I did in your class which best showcases my abilities, as well as my current CV [or resume]. If you agree to write me a letter, soon I will also send you drafts of my ____ [statement of purpose, personal statement, application essays, other relevant material] for my application to aid in your writing. I am also happy to meet in person to discuss this with you.

I want to stress that this application is quite competitive, so if you feel you will not be able to write me a strong letter then I completely understand - but please let me know. Thank you so much for your time!

Sincerely, ____

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a few notes:

- you should have all your relevant materials (app essays, etc.) sent to them *at least* a month in advance to give them ample time to write the letter

- thus, your initial email asking them if they’d be willing to write a letter for you should be sent *over* a month in advance. professors are busy

- if you are applying for a really prestigious position/scholarship/fellowship, or grad school, it’s best to have at least a majority of your letter writers be professors (rather than adjuncts or post docs). ideally you’d want them to be full/tenured professors. in lots of cases, especially academic ones, *who* writes your letter matters - not just *what’s in* your letter

- the reason you send them the piece of work you did in their class that you are most proud of is to remind them of your abilities as a student and the quality of the work you produced for them. they have lots of students. sometimes they need a bit of help jogging their memory of exactly what you did in their class.

- the reason you send them your other application materials (personal statement, statement of purpose, CV) is so that they have information to draw from when writing your letter. they know what you’re passionate about, what you hope to do in the future, other experience you have, and can use this information when writing your letter

- on a similar note, this is also why you’d want to list the strengths you displayed in their class

- basically, you want to give them as much information as you can about your strengths, goals, and intentions - give them prompts they can use to write your letter

- the bit at the end about asking for a “strong letter” is important because some professors can only write you mediocre letters (e.g. “this student was always on time to class and gave their undivided attention during lecture” - what does this tell admission committees? well, it tells them that the professor has nothing positive to say about your *academic* abilities and so they’re resorting to other strengths. it’s a polite way of saying “this student was okay, but not spectacular in any notable way”. big red flag for admissions committees.) if all you’re going to get is a mediocre letter, you might as well not get a letter at all

- if the professor you ask accepts, then be sure to send them polite reminders as the date approaches. (i usually send a reminder at the 1-month-till-due-date mark when i send the other application materials, and then again at the 2 week and 1 week marks, and, if necessary, every day after the final 3 days leading up to the due date

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i know this was a lot, but i remember being in your shoes and being completely lost when it came to applying for stuff so i know how daunting it can be. i figured i’d just throw all this information at you to be of as much help as possible.

for reference, i’ve applied to graduate programs, fellowships, and scholarships. i have been accepted into several of the top 10 graduate programs in my area, as well as received multiple scholarships and a fellowship, and received honorable mentions for some of the most competitive fellowships in the US. i have also worked with the admissions committee at my graduate program to organize multiple informational events for those interested in applying to graduate school and, in the process, have learned a lot about what makes a strong application.

so while you should absolutely take my advice with a grain of salt (different circumstances call for different standards), i do have quite a bit of experience with applications and what makes a strong letter of rec.

i hope this helped! best of luck with whatever you’re applying for :)

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The ABCDE Method: Accomplish Tasks more Efficiently

I recently came across the ABCDE method that’s similar to what I do to stay productive each day: instead of lumping up all your tasks, sort them into categories and tackle each of them differently. Here’s an outline of the method. Hope it helps :)

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hey emma!! do u have tips on how to make summer productive? IM STARTING COLLEGE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WHAT

Hi! Here are a few things you could do:

my plans for the holidays + some extra bits

organising for a new semester in the holidays

school/college related movies and tv shows

fun things for a summer bucket list

my favourite tv shows

30 day challenge ideas

reading challenge

30 days of decluttering

30 days of self improvement

30 day stress relief journal prompts

x

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study moods

sleepy dawn

open windows

listening to lo-fi

wearing pyjamas

planning your day, creating to-do lists

the sky is pretty

spring breeze

coming back after a walk

drinking a glass of water

getting a head-start on the assignment

the great feeling of productivity, ah

cozy evening

sitting on your bed

rewarding yourself afterwards with a bath or chocolate

highlighting with your favourite markers

warm tea or cocoa next to you

night vision

it’s way too late, but you gotta finish that essay

rock music all the way

everything is a mess

you’re gonna be okay though

cinnamon afternoon

drinking coffee

doing some math exercises

listening to a chill/coffeehouse playlist

scrolling through tumblr in your little breaks

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As a heads up I might be gone for a while. My mom passed away yesterday unexpectedly. She was 43, and I love her with every fiber of my being. I'll see you all soon ❤

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future log ft. washi tape + stickers 

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4.02.2018   //   I have to say this is definitely the prettiest weekly I’ve ever done. School started again the past Monday and the professors are already going hard with the readings. I hope you all have a great semester!

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04.15.18 // henlo…..just finished my portfolio film for IB…. it’s literally april and there’s freezing rain lmao hello?? spring??? where tf are u?? 

anyway i’ve been super duper tired lately but i released my april playlist here and you can check out my spotify here

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[ 4/12/18 ] ☔

Tomorrow I have to register for my sophomore year of college 😱 time is passing way too fast for me

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i love your blog! ♥️

Thank you so much sweetheart! You’re too kind xx

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2018 Student Guide

With the start of 2018 well underway, I wanted to make a masterpost full of links on how to adjust your perspective with studying. Perhaps you want to become a better student overall, improve your focus or get into your dream college, there is always something we want to do better! Hopefully these tips will make 2018 your best academic year yet!

Organisation

2018 student planner

planner brand recommendations

planner vs bullet journal: pros and cons

how to set up a bullet journal

setting up a digital bullet journal

bullet journal spread ideas

bullet journal decoration hacks

bullet journal brand recommendations

whats in my bag

my favourite stationery

back to school basic supplies

how to improve your handwriting

handwriting font suggestions

balancing study and work

desk/workspace essentials

student finance tips

2018 monthly planner printables

Productivity

productivity and time management applications

how to remove distractions

types of procrastination and how to deal with them

google chrome new tab options for improved productivity

10 small ways to improve your productivity

applications to block websites

no distraction writing applications

100 days of productivity challenge

how to focus in class

how to stick to a schedule

how to stay alert

how to build self-discipline

how to organise for exams

my after school routine

how to reduce perfectionist ideas 

Motivation

what to do when you’ve tried everything

how to gain back motivation

motivational monday printables

how to stop avoiding studying

what to do when you feel exhausted before studying

how I stay motivated

tips on maintaining motivation

how to start a studyblr

how to utilise your studyblr for motivation

how to set up a studygram

dealing with competitive people

how to bounce back from ‘failure’

how to learn from a lower than expected grade

how to structure a weekly review

how to deal with a difficult class

things to do during holidays/study vacations

Studying

applications for students

how to take effective class or lecture notes

how to take notes from a textbook

how to prepare for exams

my note-taking method

my notebook system

how to write faster

how to study more effectively

how to summarise information

how I organise my binders

good habits to implement

how to study (my method)

how to revise from notes

how to organise a colour code

how to memorise information effectively

how to memorise quotes

how to use flashcards

how I reduce waffle and narration in essays

tips for essay writing

how to find out where you’re going wrong

how I prepare to study

different ways to study

how to study during the semester

how to annotate a book/novel/etc

how to get ahead in school

how to break up a large textbook

studying as a visual learner

how to practice and present a speech

mindmapping apps and extensions

how to deal with online classes

how to study a language

how to study maths

how to improve group assessments/projects

Self Care

how to improve your sleep schedule

how to wake up earlier

how to study when sick

over-coming self doubt

dealing with stress

how to balance studying and anxiety

how to balance studying and depression

apps that help with depression

ways to reward your productivity

my favourite tv shows

my favourite podcasts

ways to use empty notebooks

how to be more sociable

tips for getting a job

advice for the first day

things (personal, academic, etc) to do every week

Printables

2018 monthly planner printables

2018 student printables (includes 2018 overview + calendar, daily + weekly + monthly planner, 30 habit tracker, class overview and timed worklog)

weekly study schedule

weekly planner

weekend planner

daily planner

assessment planner

subject to do list planner

study session planner

exam revision printable pack (includes revision checklist, formulas + definitions sheet, essay + project planner, weekly schedule)

note-taking printables (includes dotted, grid, lined, cornell method)

organic chemistry printable

literary techniques and devices sheet

100 days of productivity tracker printable 

ultimate student organiser pack

study and revision pack

2018 student planner

2018 weekly planner

pomodoro tracker

grade and assessment planner pack

essay guide and planner pack

productivity planner

student reading journal printable

student finance planner

goal and habit planner

customisable weekly study planner

Other posts | Printables | Instagram | Youtube | Pinterest | Etsy Shop

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[ 4/2/18 ] ☔

Don't you think maybe they are the same thing? Love and attention?

- Lady Bird (2017)

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Hey, just wondering where you get those journals with the dots on the pages??

My friend gifted my journal to me, but you can find them all over Amazon or other stationery sites! My journal specifically is a Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover Dot Grid Journal in the color Navy and size A5. On Amazon they retail for about $20.00 US. Hopefully this helps! xx

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I actually started making an aesthetic/mood board thing for my bullet journal because of your blog and they don’t compare to how gorgeous yours are but I really love them still!! Thanks so much for inspiring me haha

Oh? my god??? This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me I could cry 😭 Thank you so much for enjoying my content, and I bet your aesthetics are out of this world! I hope you have a wonderful day and a wonderful life, you sweet little angel baby xx

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[ 3/29/18 ] 🍀

I’m back from spring break, and as much as enjoy being at school, I did not miss having tons of things to do while balancing my homework load

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Did you struggle trying to match those Crayola markers with their names?

I sure did! I looked up a chart with all of their names online, and spent a decent amount of time trying to match the names correctly so I could make my swatch chart that’s in the back of my bujo. Thank you for recognizing my struggle xx 😂

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[ 3/12/18 ] 🍀

I’ll be home in less than a week and I can’t wait to finally be able to breathe