How Do You Secure REU Letters of Recommendation During Winter Break?

[Fisicks]

So from what I have researched it looks like people start working on REU applications in January. My question is when do you go about getting letters of recommendation if your on winter break in January and when your in school in nov/dec you won't know how many letters you need or where you are sending the letters. In my case, I am going to try to get letters from Fall 2011 professors since i don't have any relationships with my other professors.
What is the appropriate course of action?

Thanks guys, trying to make this go as smooth as possible.

 

[Stengah]

You should give your professors about 4 weeks notice ahead of time. I would get to know your professors this semester really well, and ask them near the end of fall semester if they would be willing to write you one. Then you can just use email over the break to contact them.

 

[Fisicks]

Ok, that makes sense. So I would just have to go up to the campus to collect my letters sometime around January?

 

[Stengah]

It depends. Some programs want emails, some want snail mail. I have also heard of people just giving their professors stamped, addressed envelopes that are all ready to go, so that the professor just has to put the letter in and drop it in the outgoing mail box. So if you won't be back on campus in time you could mail them the envelopes. Just make sure you know how each program wants it done and it shouldn't really be a problem.