Grades…check! Shadowing…check! Extracurriculars…check! Rec letters……oh boy!!! Getting great rec letters is a challenge for many premeds. Most see it as something that is out of their control. Something they have little influence over. Well, that’s not the case at all. As a matter of fact, it’s quite the opposite. The quality of the letters you get will be largely determined by you. Yes YOU! The reality of the situation is that there are a few key things, that when done, unlock the box to excellent letters. As a student asking for a letter, your job is to make it as easy on the writer as possible and help to guide their thought process. I’ve now written enough rec letters as well as read enough to understand what things premedical students should be doing in order to get letters that stand out above the crowd. Here are 3 little secrets to help you do just that!

1) Secret # 1: Ask early! Why am I writing this blog in December just before the Christmas break? Because this is when you need to start asking for rec letters. Here’s what you need to know about timing, a lot of students will start asking for rec letters in February, March, April so you need to get at the front of the line. This has several benefits. First, it gives your writer more time to get your letter done without being under the pressure of a deadline. This means they’re more likely to be thorough and write meaningful content. Second, it gives you enough time to send reminders without sounding annoying. Asking just before the holiday break is also good because some letter writers will take advantage of that time off to get it done!

2) Secret # 2: Ask for a “great” or “excellent” rec letter. Ask and it shall be given to you. If you ask for a rec letter, then that’s what you’ll get, a plain ol’ average letter. But if you ask for an excellent letter, you’re more likely to get one that uses words like “best”, “most”, or “outstanding”. In a sense, you want to prime your letter writer’s mind to believe you are great before they start writing. So when you ask for a letter, suggest to them that you’re worthy of a great one by using such keywords in your requests. When I review letters, if it doesn’t have one of those buzzwords such as “top” or “best”, I tend to file it in my mental “average” rec letter bin.

**BONUS** You can even let your professors or other letters writers know years prior that you enjoyed your time with them and you’ll be planning to request a letter from them when you’re applying to medical school!

3) Secret 3: Send them your PreMed STAR profile. One of the most important things you can do to help your letter writers is to send them your PreMed STAR profile. You’ll notice a blue share icon on the top right corner of your profile page…take advantage of it!!! When someone asks me to write them a letter but doesn’t provide any additional information, they put themselves at a major handicap. What I’m able to say about them is limited only to what I know about them. It is easy for us to forget that other people aren’t experts on our lives. When I get a request to write a letter, one of the first things I do is check out the student’s PreMed STAR profile to see what else I need to know about them to write the best possible letter. DO NOT skip this step. It is probably one of your biggest tools to influence your rec letter.

**BONUS** You Should also send them your personal statement (or a draft) if you have one prepared.

I want you to know that you have more control over your rec letters than you may realize. Be confident when requesting them and be sure to give them enough information about yourself so they can make you shine! Put these 3 secrets to use and you may be pleasantly surprised. Vividly recall being at an interview when the interviewer handing me some letters than were written about me. They were excellent! Put these tips to use so you can have the same experience!

I’ve read enough to know when the writer is really impressed verses when he or she is simply trying to placate a student. At

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