Couple REU recommendation letter questions

[paridiso]

This is for REU and other summer research programs.

1) If the program requires letters to be mailed in, should you go out and prepare the envelopes and buy stamps for the professor? In high school they had us do this but I'm unsure of how it works in college.

2) What would be a nice way of reminding professors to send in the letter?

3) Is it ok to send in a letter to a school before I filled out their application?

4) I may need to ask my math professor to write me a recommendation. I'm an engineering & physics double major. What should I talk to him about to get him to write me a decent recommendation letter?

Thanks guys.

 

[eri]

1) It's a nice thing to do, and it makes it a lot easier for them to submit.
2) Email is fine. 'Just a reminder, the letter of recommendation you agreed to write for me is due in two weeks for the ____ program.
3) Yes, they'll just start a file.
4) Give him a copy of your transcript (unofficial is fine) and discuss why you want the internship and what your future plans are (grad school and beyond) so he has an idea of what you're shooting for.