Recommendation letter way too short? (electrical engineering grad school)

apumic
Fri, 12 Dec 2008 02:08:25 +0000

It sounds kind of bland to be honest. Pretty much like a form letter he might send on behalf of any student (just change the gender and maybe the percentile as needed). Still, though, he’s only been your advisor since Jan. 2008? That’s a pretty short period of time. My primary advisor has been supervising me for a year and a half and we’ve done multiple projects, conferences, papers together, as well as having TA’d for her and taken 2 courses from her over the past 2 1/2 years and I almost question whether she’s supervised and known me long enough to be my primary letter-writer.

Even if you’ve worked closely with him, he may not really know you well enough over such a small amount of time. Nevertheless, I agree the letter could be FAR more thorough. I’m sorry he disappointed you on this!