如何说服老师为你写一封推荐信？

考虑到我的读者中有相当一部分是本科和研究生，而有的人现在可能已经着手申请国外的学校了，我想写一点关于推荐信的心得，希望能对有的读者有一点帮助。

很多人的挑战是怎样说服推荐人为自己写一封推荐信，尤其是怎样用一封邮件说服推荐人。我觉得以下几点非常重要：

1. 明确提出让收件人写推荐信的请求

2. 说明为什么收件人是最佳选择

3. 明确推荐人写推荐信需要注意的主要信息

4. 分享自己做的相关的努力以及需要的帮助

这篇文章以我 2011 年写给推荐人的邮件为例，说明在实际中如何高效沟通，说服老师为你写一封推荐信。

加粗的句子表示强烈的感情或决心。下划线部分的用词可以参考。

Dear Justine,

I hope you are not too surprised by the subject [Could you write a letter of reference for me please?]. Yes. I am finally applying to graduate school in the US! (I know excess of exclamation mark is bad writing, but a period doesn't suffice here.) 

Last time we spoke, which was this April, I said I wanted to do serious graduate work in humanities in the US, but would rather work for a couple of more years to be financially ready. Since I left college, I have joined study and literature groups; attended academic and cultural lectures; earned six undergraduate credits in comparative philosophy, German history, and American literature at International summer schools at Peking University and Renmin University; tried to be educated and enlightened. But these aren't enough. And I was half-lying; I wanted to go to grad school as soon as possible, not a couple of years later. I can no longer wait. Now is the time to pursue my long-dreamed dream.

My original plan was based on the assumption that with about two years, I could save enough money, if not more than enough, to pay my way through two-year graduate education in the US. An equally persuasive rational was that I would feel guilty if I relied on my parents financially. Yet both the assumption and rational fell apart. My work in Beijing ensures me a decent life, but saving enough for grad school seems a tall order. Also, my parents are even more supportive than I am; they are fervent supporters. Their rock of support and love made me rethink about my plan, the result being me changing my mind. It's not bad to go to grad school on loan and pay them back in the future. Now that all the hurdles are cleared, I am on the track.

Now I'd like to share with you my plan. Given my broad interest (or uncertainty about my focus of study), I am applying to some Master of Arts in Liberal Arts (MALA) programs. Although I am not sure what career exactly I intend to pursue in the future, I am completely clear that I thirst for more and better-quality education that was unavailable at Binhai. Actually, I do have a few plans: journalist, editor, writer, entrepreneur, among other pursuits. Each of these requires analytical and critical abilities and an expressive mind. I cannot think of a better niche that can adequately prepare me for my ambition than MALA, especially the one offered by St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland.

I have been checking out the St. John's website. I have met up with a St. John's alumna through the connection of my roommate. I have talked about St. John's with an American friend who visited its Santa Fe campus. I have read and been inspired by an article named Where I Learned to Read by Salvatore Scibona, a St.John's alumnus who was named one of the 20 Under 40 writers by The New Yorker. I have fallen in love with St. John's.

Thanks to the flexible three-semester calendar of St. John's (different from trimester though), the earliest time I can attend it is January 2012. The spring semester starts on January 8th. I have started to prepare for my application. I have signed up for TOEFL. I have contemplated three required personal essays. I have thought about two reference letter writers.

You and David are my choices as I feel you know me the best. Among my college teachers, I think I have engaged with you and him the most and the most meaningfully. Also, we have kept in touch since you left China. I remember our teacher-student relationship started long before my sophomore year--I audited a semester's equivalent of your writing course when I was a freshman. I feel strongly that you can present me to St.John's in an informed, accurate, personal, and unbiased fashion. Could you please do me a favor by penning a letter of reference for me? 

St.John's has no application deadline. Applications are accepted and decisions are made at any time, on a rolling basis. But I feel it is safe if I could finish my application by October 20th. As I will take TOEFL on September 28th, St. John's will receive my TOEFL score report from ETS around October 20th (GRE is not required). I will also make sure that my application form, personal essays, and transcripts reach the school before that time.

As for the letter of reference, I have attached both letter of reference and application form for your reference. It seems I need to fill out certain fields in the letter of reference before you can compose the letter of reference. So I need to do so and mail you the printed letter of reference as soon as possible. 

It would be great if you could help me with the reference letter. It would be my great honor and I would really appreciate it.

If you have any questions about St.John's or my application, please let me know. 

Thanks again. 

Kind regards, 

Justin 

收到 Justine 老师的回复，里面主要是这么一句（原文本身均为大写）：

OF COURSE I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO WRITE A GLOWING LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU. YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW THAT.

需要说明的是 Justine 对我来说亦师亦友，因此这封邮件的一部分用意是和她更新我的近况。如果你和推荐人还不是朋友关系，那么要注意篇幅，邮件不宜过长，要点讲清楚即可。

下面我简单总结一下我邮件中每段的用意：

由于标题 “Could you write a letter of reference for me please?” 已经写了邮件意图，第一段明确告诉了收件人我要申请读研的决定，并表达了自己难掩的兴奋。由于上一次沟通是在好几个月前，第二段和第三段分享了这几个月期间我都做了什么，以及为什么决定改变主意提前申请研究生院。

第四段写了自己选择专业的心路历程以及毕业后大致的打算，提出了申请的学校和专业信息。第五段写了自己是如何投入了解学校和专业的，也间接帮助收件人了解。第六段写了申请的时间和自己做的准备（为了突出自己所做的努力，我故意使用了一连串排比句）。第七段说明为什么选择收件人为推荐人，以及对推荐人的期许。八九段写了推荐人需要知道的相关信息（如果你不确定收件人一定会同意为你写推荐信，这部分需要在获得同意后再写）。最后对收件人表示感谢，并提醒对方如有不确定的问题用邮件沟通。

不是每个推荐人都非常了解你，不是每个推荐人都非常愿意为你写推荐信，但你可以做好自己能做好的，做到真诚、换位、清晰、有说服力的沟通，尽可能获得对方的同意。

有效的写作应该可以表达你的信念、激情和决心，把读者带入你的世界，你的状态，你的情绪中，感染他，不给他说 No 的理由。

P.S. 你在说服推荐人的时候有遇到什么困难吗？欢迎在评论区留言。

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题图：Greeting Cards, John F. Peto. 

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