Thinking About Application Recommendations: How to Connect with Your Professors

Any student applying to the B.S. in Data Science major will need to provide one recommender in their application who can comment on your strengths, skills, and qualifications for the major. The recommendation can be completed by a supervisor, academic advisor, mentor, instructor, or teaching assistant. The only restriction is that the recommender may not be a faculty member, staff, or student affiliated with the School of Data Science, including a professor for DS 1001 or DS 1002.

How does a student go about asking for a recommendation if they’ve only interacted with faculty in a limited capacity during their first year at UVA? Rachel Seo, a University of Virginia School of Data Science B.S. in Data Science Ambassador, shares her experience developing relationships with her faculty who eventually provided a recommendation for her B.S. in Data Science application.

Take the Initiative to Start a Conversation

To get started, I brainstormed and asked myself, “In which one of my classes am I able to demonstrate my eagerness to learn through my academic achievements?” I happened to be excelling in my first-year engagement classes during my first semester UVA, none of which were building technical skills or anything of the sort. And that’s ok! The great thing about the School of Data Science application is that it is a holistic review, meaning that you want to show who you are as a student in the context of your interests beyond the technical aspects.

After reflecting on my classes, I introduce myself to my professors through email first, before following up with an in-person introduction. Connecting with faculty starts with a simple “Hello, my name is __.” It may sound intimidating to cold-email your professor out of the blue or walk up to introduce yourself. This is especially true if the professor teaches a big lecture class. However, it’s one of the best ways to make UVA more personal to you and feel more at home. Forming relationships with professors and peers is the basis of building your community. Eventually, these relationship-building skills translate to networking with industry professionals and employers, so it’s a lifelong skill that doesn’t go to waste.

Meeting with Faculty & Discussing the Application

Having made an initial connection, I asked two different professors about two months before the application deadline if they would be willing to be a recommender and meet with me to discuss my interest in the data science major. Reaching out this early also ensured we would have ample time to meet and discuss how I wanted to be represented through their recommendation.

Both professors were kind enough to say yes to my request, and from there, we scheduled a one-on-one meeting based on our availabilities. Before the meetings, I prepared a list of notable qualities and traits that I wanted to exhibit in my application and hoped to discuss with my professors. I also sent my professors a copy of my resume ahead of time, so they could review my extracurricular experience. This was incredibly helpful, as I wanted my professor’s to know my skills outside the classroom and to make sure these traits were coming across through my academic achievements, specifically in the classes I was taking with them. In the weeks after connecting with my professors, I maintained contact to make sure they received the recommender invitation through the application, reminded them about the recommendation deadline, and thanked them for their support during the application process.

Choosing a faculty recommender might seem intimidating to navigate, but here are three takeaways I hope you can apply while you’re in the application process. 

• Take the initiative and set up that meeting with your professors. Face-to-face interactions are much more fluid than emails.
• Be prepared to answer questions about your resume and explain how your experiences at UVA outside of the classroom have shaped you to be the ideal candidate.
• Always be authentic and be personable. Your professors are people too. They want to help you present your best self, and that means showing personality. 

If you need advice on connecting with faculty or navigating the B.S. in Data Science application, reach out to the Student Ambassadors. We are here to answer your questions and be an additional resource as you navigate your data science journey. You’re going to do great, and the School of Data Science community is excited to learn more about you through your application! 

Next Steps

Curious about the B.S. in Data Science? Explore upcoming events or reach out with questions anytime. Learn more about BSDS academics, admissions, deadlines, and more.