Letters of Recommendation

Writing letters of recommendation is an important part of my job, one that I take seriously. Because I am asked to write a large number of letters each year I have a firm set of guidelines. Below are links to the instructions you must follow if you want me to write a recommendation for you.

Graduate School Applications

Medical School Applications

Summer Research Programs

Faculty Positions

Postdoc Letters

One-off Letters

Fellowship candidates can extrapolate from these guidelines.

Your cooperation in following the rules below is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Cathy Drennan

Graduate School Recommendations

1. Make sure I know you well enough to write a letter before asking.

2. If you do want me to write you a letter, you will need to ask me by November 1st. If I say yes, then I will need electronic copies of ALL of your information by November 15th. If I don’t have all the information, I can’t write a letter and you will have to find someone else.

3. Once I have agreed to write a letter, please email me (no paper versions please) before November 15th the listed items below, preferably in a single email unless short deadlines would make that less useful:

a. Your C.V.

b. A transcript with your GPA

c. Your personal statement (a draft is okay)

d. A master table of all the schools to which you are applying in the format below. Make sure to list the applications chronologically with the earliest due date listed first.

Due Date	School	Program or Department*
12/15	Harvard	Program in Chemical Biology
1/3	Berkeley	School of Chemistry
1/15	Michigan	Department of Chemistry

* Indicate if it is a department or program if possible

e. All forms. Please fill out your information and type in my contact information:

Name: Catherine L. Drennan
Position: HHMI Investigator and Professor; MIT Professor of Chemistry and Biology
Department: Chemistry and Biology
Institution: MIT and HHMI
Mailing Address:
Room 68-680, MIT
77 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: (617) 253-5622
Fax: (617) 258-7847
E-mail: cdrennan@mit.edu

Medical School Recommendations

1. Make sure I know you well enough to write a letter before asking.

2. If you do want me to write you a letter, you will need to ask me by March 15th. If I say yes, then I will need electronic copies of ALL of your information by April 15th. I write letters in April and if I don’t have all the information, I can’t write the letter, and you will have to find someone else.

3. Once I have agreed to write a letter, please email me (no paper versions please) by April 15th the listed items below, preferably in a single email unless short deadlines would make that less useful:

a. Your C.V.

b. A transcript with your GPA

c. Your personal statement (draft is okay)

4. If you’re using MIT’s Prehealth Credential Service for recommendation letters, there’s no need for a master table of schools. If you’re not using that service (e.g., you’re not an MIT student), please do include a master table as described under Graduate School Letters.

Summer Research Program Recommendations

NOTE:  Recommendation Limit is Five Programs

1. Make sure I know you well enough to write a letter before asking.

2. If you want me to write you a letter for programs with deadlines in mid-January/early February, you will need to ask me by December 15th. If I say yes, then I will need electronic copies of ALL of your information by January 1st. I write letters during the semester break and if I don’t have all the information, I can’t write the letter, and you will have to find someone else.

3. Once I have agreed to write a letter, please email me (no paper versions please) by January 1st the listed items below, preferably in a single email unless short deadlines would make that less useful:

a. A brief (paragraph-long) description of the kinds of programs you are applying for and what you hope to gain from your summer experience.

b. A master table of all the programs to which you are applying (see above format under Graduate School Letters). Make sure to list the applications chronologically with the earliest due date listed first.

Faculty Positions

1. Make sure I know you well enough to write a letter before asking.

2. If you do want me to write you a letter, you will need to ask me by August 15.  If I say yes, then I will need electronic copies of ALL of your information by September 15. If I don’t have all the information, I can’t write a letter and you will have to find someone else.

3. Once I have agreed to write a letter, please email me (no paper versions please) by September 15th the listed items below, preferably in a single email unless short deadlines would make that less useful.  If you are applying to multiple places, please give me all requests at once if possible.

a. Your C.V.

b. A sample coverletter

c. Your research proposals (a draft is okay)

d. Short summaries of past research

e. A master table of all the schools to which you are applying in the format below. Make sure to list the applications chronologically with the earliest due date listed first.

*Indicate special things about school – examples, only undergraduates or only master students. teaching no research. research no teaching.

Postdoc Letters

1. Make sure I know you well enough to write a letter before asking.

2. If you do want me to write you a letter, you will need to ask me ONE MONTH IN ADVANCE. 

3. Once I have agreed to write a letter, please email me (no paper versions please) the listed items below, preferably in a single email unless short deadlines would make that less useful. If you are applying to multiple labs or multiple fellowships that are due around the same time, please give me all requests at once if possible.

a. Your C.V.

b. A sample cover letter for job applications or draft of postdoc fellowship proposal

c. Short summaries of past research

d. A master table of fellowships or labs to which you are applying. For fellowships, make sure to list the applications chronologically with the earliest due date listed first.

*Indicate if fellowship requires a special form or page limit or has questions to answer.

One-off Letters

(specific fellowship, collaboration acknowledgment, etc.)

Please email all the relevant information (what that would be depends on the request, but could include your CV, the description (can be a link) of the fellowship, your research summary, etc.) at least 2 weeks before the due date.