Referee choice

Another common question this year has been, "Who should I get to write recommendation letters?"

I can't speak for other programs, but in ours, there really is only one requirement: That your referee know you.

Now, that said, if you think about it, there are some characteristics that are going to be desirable for a recommendation letter.

Since research positions like our REU program are, fundamentally, academic positions, you want to have someone who can address your ability to learn and your learning style. Your referee might want to answer questions like whether you are a quick study or Whether you need a lot of guidance. Whether you learn better in groups or if you prefer to work independently. Your referee might also want to place your academic work in context. In some classes, many students get As, but in others, very few get As. Or perhaps you got a B or a C, but you just missed the dividing line by a point or two, as opposed to scraping by near the bottom range for that letter grade.

Second, since research work is work, you also want someone who can address your ability to work with others. So, generally, you want someone who has supervised you in some way in task-oriented situations. This might be volunteer work, work for pay, or academic classes.

In many cases, professors are good choices for writing recommendation letters.

Sometimes, teaching assistants can write helpful letters of recommendation, as they have more face-to-face interactions with students than in a lecture setting with a professor. Teaching assistants also get to see how you handle equipment and your lab technique.

The one thing you probably don't want, though, is a letter from your mother. We're sure your mom is nice and all, but she's your mom. She has to like you.

Mentor choice

A very common question asked by students interested in our program is, "Who would I work for?"

In our program -- and, I believe, most programs -- that is largely up to the student. We have a list of mentors who participate in the program, and there is a spot on the application form that asks who you are interested in working with.

A few tips.

First, talk to possible mentors. Remember, the mentors are involved in the selection process that determines who goes into the program. You want to introduce yourself and try to have them on your side before you submit your application. It's even better if you get to know them well enough that they will be one of the people providing you with a letter of recommendation.

Second, try to find a happy medium in indicating who you want to work with. If you select only one mentor, you're really limiting yourself. If another student wants to work with that mentor, you could cut yourself out of the program if you leave no other choice. On the other hand, it doesn't look good if you check the boxes for every mentor, either. That just makes you look like you're complete adrift and have no idea what it is you're interested in.

Finally, keep an open mind. Just because you might be interested in ultimately doing research on, say, polar bear ecology, do not think, "Oh, nobody works on polar bear ecology, so I shouldn't apply." Even if no one works on polar bear ecology, maybe there's someone working on ecology. There's always stuff to learn that can be applicable to later study and research, particularly if you go on to graduate school.