Write Me a Reference Letter

It is graduate school application season and loads of students (that I know of in or from mainland China) are attempting to go overseas for their Master’s degree next September.

Other than the standardized tests like GMAT, TOEFL, GRE, and IELTS, many universities requirement a personal statement and at least 2 reference letters from every applicant.

Over the past 2 weeks, I have been approached (“ambushed” is a better word) by more than 10 students asking me to write them recommendation letters and/or personal statements. And these requests all came with deadlines, “I would like the letter by this weekend and I want 15 copies of it.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m always happy to help.

But these students are not doing it right.

First of all, they have not kept in touch since the final exams last semester (which ended in June 2009). For that matter, most of them didn’t even bother to know me or let me know them. So, out of the blue, I get students (yes, I do recognize their faces but…) suddenly appearing in my path or in my email inbox when they have never previously bothered to talk to me.

Secondly, they are outright demanding without being considerate. To ask me to do them a favour today (Tuesday) and give me a deadline of this weekend is presumptuous that I have all the time in the world, just sitting around as their beck-and-call.

Thirdly, they think they are the only ones asking me to help.

As more students approach me with the same request, I get the feeling that I am simply being used. For I know that, after getting what they want, they will once again disappear from my sights and email inbox. And Ethan Pang will only be a distant memory.

They have yet to learn that this world functions on the principle of reciprocity. In the real world, it’ll be very hard for future requests if there are no goodwill or favours returned for the current one.