<p>Just curious, and maybe looking for inspiration if I see something good! I'm probably going to do tin of homemade cookies, thank you card, and a $20 gift card to somewhere (not sure where yet though). What about you?</p>
<p>Depends on where I get accepted haha</p>
<p>I hear that it’s generally a bad idea to give professors gifts of monetary value. Homemade cookies might be appreciated though :)</p>
<p>I went the gift card route</p>
<p>I don’t think gifts are actually a “bad” idea, but you should consider your relationship with the prof. If you only know them in a strict prof-student setting, be conservative. A nice note (all on its own) is always appreciated, as are updates when you get admissions.</p>
<p>A card; if you get into a good program the fact that they’ll be able to list you as a mentored student on their CV is worth its weight in Jamba Juice.</p>
<p>LMAO @ “worth its weight in Jamba Juice” lololol</p>
<p>A thank you note is suffice. More meaningful would be to keep them updated of your progress!</p>
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<p>Even if they don’t reply to your emails if you try to keep them updated?</p>
<p>===</p>
<p>Also - when do people send their thank-you gifts? Should it be done after decisions are made? What if one is undergoing a current research project with the supervisor? If that is the case, should the gift be delayed until the project is finished?</p>
<p>Here’s another problem: I have no control over what my parents do (I have Asian parents), and they might force me to give them a gift of their choice. What should I do in this situation?</p>
<p>I just wrote my professors a thank-you note after receiving all of my acceptance letters, and I also let them know which school I ultimately chose to attend.</p>
<p>How long are the thank-you notes you write them? Do you do it after your first acceptance or only after you’ve decided on everything?</p>
<p>I gave my boss a box of caramel chocolate and a thank you card, since he’s written me gazillion letters for me (fellowships, grants, grad schools). I just really appreciate what he has done for me, and I know he likes caramel chocolate, so I just gave him that. for the other two, I just sent thank you cards. </p>
<p>I think a thank you card is sufficient, but if you deeply appreciate your recommender, you should give something along with the card. chocolate box, tea/coffee bag, or gift card should be fine. </p>
<p>I also think it’s a good idea to keep your recommender posted with your admission progress. I haven’t had any interview yet, but I think I will let my recommenders know about my first interview, and where I will end up going later.</p>
<p>I wasn’t necessarily planning on anything but thank you cards. Something modest like chocolates isn’t a bad idea. I don’t think I would be comfortable giving any of my writers gift cards or things like that. But it all depends on your relationship with them.</p>
<p>I read a good idea somewhere else. A person had gone to the bookstore of wherever they were going to attend, and bought something like a pen or hat with the schools name on it. I think I’m going to do this.</p>
<p>As far as gift cards, while the thought is nice, I’ve also heard they are offensive, as they imply the professor can’t afford whatever they are for. I.e. Starbucks</p>
<p>Sent from my SGH-T989 using CC App</p>
<p>Anecdotal experience and academic research [1] seem to lean towards no financial incentives:</p>
<p>[AEAweb</a> Journal Articles Display](<a href=“http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/aer.99.1.544]AEAweb”>Doing Good or Doing Well? Image Motivation and Monetary Incentives in Behaving Prosocially - American Economic Association)</p>
<p>I wrote my professors lengthy thank you letters (and a department-solicited letter of recommendation for tenure for one of them) after I got into my top choices.</p>
<p>Actually Starbucks sounds a bit more reasonable as far as gift cards go. Lab meetings can always use coffee and treats. So to me it sounds a bit less like, you can’t afford this $10 purchase and more like here’s something for yourself and the lab.</p>
<p>Whereas a ten dollar gift card to Barnes and Noble is just awkward. :)</p>
<p>what about desk figurines? I love those metal ones that balance at weird positions.</p>
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<p>B&N… do people still buy full priced books these days? I bet most of their customers are there to use the facilities.</p>
<p>Nothing at all, since I wrote my recommendations myself.</p>
<p>lol, you know you’re on the grad school forum when someone answers this type of question with a peer-reviewed study! thanks everyone! looks like I’m gonna stick to the thank you note and baked goods, or maybe that idea about an item from the university bookstore!</p>
<p>also, arronnie…how’d you manage that?!</p>
<p>Sometimes applicants compose their letters themselves and their “references” just sign them. That seems to be more common in some areas of the world than others.</p>
<p>One graduate department chair told me that he had a really hard time admitting Chinese applicants because many of them write their letters themselves (though you can’t tell) and they all appear to be getting straight As. After several years of trial and error, he decided only to admit Chinese students from two particular undergraduate institutions, where he knew some of the faculty personally.</p>