Is it weird to give a thank-you gift for letters of recommendation?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

Giving a thank-you gift for letters of recommendation is a nuanced topic, especially for junior students in small academic departments. While a gift card may be deemed inappropriate, homemade cookies are generally acceptable as a gesture of appreciation. However, it's important to consider departmental policies regarding gifts, as they may question the authenticity of the recommendation. Ultimately, a thoughtful gesture like cookies can be well-received without raising concerns.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of academic etiquette regarding recommendations
  • Familiarity with departmental policies on gifts
  • Knowledge of appropriate thank-you gestures in professional settings
  • Awareness of the implications of gift-giving on professional relationships
NEXT STEPS
  • Research best practices for thanking professors after receiving letters of recommendation
  • Learn about departmental policies on gift-giving in academic settings
  • Explore alternative ways to show appreciation without compromising professionalism
  • Investigate the impact of thank-you gestures on future academic relationships
USEFUL FOR

Junior students, academic professionals, and anyone navigating the complexities of thank-you gestures in educational environments.

Dishsoap
Messages
1,016
Reaction score
308
I noticed that there is another thread on this, however my situation is a bit different in that I am only a junior so it is very possible I will be asking these professors for a letter of recommendation again. I think that a gift card or something similar would be a bit inappropriate (though I did buy a gift card for my internship supervisor who I will never see again), but I just made cookies, and didn't know if it would be appropriate to each give them a dozen or so. I am in a very small physics department in the US, so all of my professors know me quite well.

Anyway... thoughts?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Why not bring in a box of cookies or goodies for the whole department instead and says thanks for everything they've done and taught you?
 
Technically a gift in exchange for a letter of reference can call into question the authenticity of the reference letter. And officially your department may have a strict policy against something like this.

That said, for all practical purposes I don't think anyone would bat an eyelash at some cookies as a thank-you.

Besides, this is a scenario that can end very succinctly with the phrase, "what evidence?"
 

Similar threads

Admissions Can a non-academic write a strong letter of recommendation for grad school?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Admissions Bad and Good recommendation letters
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Looking for physics internships requiring one letter of recommendation
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Other Recommended work for an undergrad (internships, research, etc.)
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
How Should I Thank Professors for Writing Recommendation Letters?
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
5K
Admissions Does it matter who the recommendation letter is from?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Other Requesting a letter of recommendation from a Research Advisor
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Admissions Asking for letter of recommendation from current professor?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Do You Put the $ Amount on Gift Cards?
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
6K
Admissions Should I apply to Physics PhD programs?
  • · Replies 63 ·
3
Replies
63
Views
9K