Writing Your Own Rec Letter: Pros & Cons

[mzlk76]

Hi all,

I'm applying for an REU that requires 3 rec letters. I have 1 strong letter from a professor I worked with for a year, 1 from a prof I get along with really well, and I feel both of those are fairly strong.

I've been working with a different professor for about 5 months now. When i asked him for a rec letter he told me if I wrote one, he would sign it. Is this bad or good? I've never written anything like this before. I could get someone else to do it, but I don't feel like they know me well enough.

Thoughts?

 

[Choppy]

It happens from time to time.

So long as the professor is actually going to read it over and legitimately agrees with what you've stated about yourself there isn't anything unethical about it. Often, what will happen is that professors will ask students to do this and then edit out anything they disagree with.

 

[symbolipoint]

Hi all,

I'm applying for an REU that requires 3 rec letters. I have 1 strong letter from a professor I worked with for a year, 1 from a prof I get along with really well, and I feel both of those are fairly strong.

I've been working with a different professor for about 5 months now. When i asked him for a rec letter he told me if I wrote one, he would sign it. Is this bad or good? I've never written anything like this before. I could get someone else to do it, but I don't feel like they know me well enough.

Thoughts?

What would make good sense is, he asks you to write the letter, and then he write HIS OWN letter based on what you said in your version and what he best believes and understands about you.