<p>Hi everyone. (not sure can I ask here ><)
I recently asked my professors to write me a recommendation letters for applying PhD.
I am just wondering, to what extend should I show thanks? Is that appropriate to give him a gift? Or is a card enough?
Thanks.</p>
<p>I was also wondering about that. I definitely want to show my appreciation!</p>
<p>Bump. Was wondering about the same thing!</p>
<p>I was a college prof, and my H still is one. I would have been insulted to have gotten a gift card because it would have indicated to me that I was being paid to do something that was part of my job, and to do something to support students whom I liked a great deal.</p>
<p>All you should do is give the prof a hand written thank-you note, preferably one that also says specifics about what you appreciated about the prof's teaching and mentoring. When you get into grad school, the prof also would appreciate your telling them this personally (better) or at least through e-mail, and a follow-up e-mail or call about your grad school experience would be icing on the cake for the prof.</p>
<p>Gifts are totally unnecessary and for most professors, who view themselves as professionals, gifts from students wouldn't be welcome.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply!</p>
<p>I was actually thinking along the line fo thank you card, not gift. Gift would seem kind of inappropriate in general.</p>
<p>What if we gave the gift as a Christmas present? Is that <em>more</em> appropriate? My referees have done a lot for me, not just writing the LORs.</p>
<p>I think that'd still be strange...I don't knw whether it's different in the US but at least here in the UK we never give christmas presents to our tutors/profs etc.</p>
<p>I don't know about in this situation, but I personally have given gifts before (once I was not in a class with them). Mostly little things (like I hope to eventually get around to making my old Latin professor a bracelet that says "Magistra"). I don't know if the relationship plays in though, since I'm a returning student I often find myself in their offices talking about our families, kids, and with some I've been known to go to lunch with them, etc. So several of my professors have been more like friends. I don't think there's a problem with someone showing appreciation when it can no longer be construed that there might be gain from it.</p>
<p>hmm...good thing this thread was started because I was about to send a my old CC professors nasa t-shirts.</p>
<p>oh well, i sent them thank you emails. that should be enough.</p>
<p>Without a doubt, the finest way to thank a professor is to write to them, providing details about the things you learned in their classes, and the new ideas you've developed with their guidance.</p>
<p>Such a letter (or even an email) can be included in their dossiers when they are up for promotion (or for younger professors, tenure).</p>
<p>So don't just thank them for the letter of rec, thank them for their contribution to your education.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the reply!
I think I will just write him a thank you card.</p>
<p>BTW, is "Christmas present" also not appropriate?
(because I already bought a pen form Asia...)
(i am an Asian, so if i did not get any ad, I will just go back to my country. And it will be really hard to see my prof. again)</p>
<p>Hi eliz0321!</p>
<p>As an ESL teacher, it seems to me that Asian customs of giving gifts are pretty different from American customs. My Asian students often give me small gifts (like cute, inexpensive pens), but most American students don't give gifts: it's sometimes seen by American teachers as an attempt to gain favor.</p>
<p>I would say that if the pen is a cute, inexpensive sign of gratitude, you should feel free to give it to your teacher along with a card. If the pen is at all expensive, however, you should probably hesitate to give it to him. Give the card, by itself, instead: it will be very appreciated. The card is certainly the safer option. In any case, your gratitude will be received and understood.</p>
<p>Thank you, lotf629</p>
<p>I will just give him the card.<br>
(my pen is around $40)</p>
<p>I was thinking of getting a basket from Tim Horton's with a coffee mug! :)</p>
<p>If a professor or instructor will no longer teach you again (there is no favor to be gained by student), is there any thing wrong to give an appreciation gift with the thank-you card? I have seen teacher appreciation gifts such as a crystal or marble apple etched with the quote To teach is to touch a life forever. Do teachers and professors like this kind of gift and this quote? Thank you for your advice--especially from former and current professors and teachers.</p>
<p>Gifts are never expected, but upon graduation, the awkwardness is lessened considerably.</p>
<p>I have been known to appreciate a good bottle of wine, or a batch of cookies. Tchotchkes, well, not so much.</p>
<p>Hm. I knitted pot-holders for the professors who wrote letters of recommendations for scholarships during undergrad. One of them was retiring, so it doubled as a farewell gift, and she was tickled pink by it. They've all probably lost theirs by now, but I didn't see anything wrong with it. I think if I get into graduate school I'll probably be hanging around my undergrad campus on breaks because my boyfriend worked a few years b/n his associates and bachelors and will still be working on the latter--so I'll visit the professors I was close to with a homemade cookie-batch-jar in hand (with flour, sugar, salt & soda, choco-chips etc.). I wouldn't give them anything I wouldn't give my neighbors or distant relatives.</p>
<p>Prof. X's suggestions are good. Unfortunately, this is a "dry campus," and professors aren't even allowed to have wine at the departmental parties.</p>
<p>I agree that you should absolutely not buy a professor a gift for writing a letter of recommendation. I think the most is a card to express your gratitude but even that may seem a little overboard considering how expected it is for faculty to write letters of recommendation. I think the safest bet is just a nice email thank you. </p>
<p>Someone mentioned buying a gift if you would never see the professor again. I think that's okay but I'm on the fence about the timing. I think the best time to give that professor a gift is at or just before graduation. Any other time, regardless if you have no intention of taking a course with them, may lead to misconstrued intentions. Also, you never know if that person will end up teaching you again for some unknown reason.</p>
<p>I don't think there's anything wrong with giving cards/gifts as long as it's something not too extravagant. Something under $50 is good, I think.</p>
<p>My son has a professor that went beyond the rec and has been very helpful to him. The professor has written recs for scholarships but not his grad schools yet. He wants to write an email/type a note when everything is done to thank the professor for going beyond the usual. He has to type it because his handwriting is atrocious but I think a heartfelt note is worth more than any token gift. Everyone likes to be appreciated and a note lasts a long time and can be read over, hopefully with a smile.</p>