Should I give a gift to a teacher who wrote me a recommendation?

[pinacoladasundae]

My professor wrote me a beautiful recommendation for university. I’ve been accepted to five UC’s  (Including my #1 choice UCLA!  ) I’m waiting to see if I get into my #1 choice for private universities. I really want to do something for her since she went out of her way to help me. Would it seem weird to get her a gift?  If not, what would be an appropriate gift?

 

[Rose2Bear]

When teachers wrote me a letter of recommendation, I just wrote a nice, heart-felt thank you. I thought about giving a gift, but it made me feel like I was sort of implying that I needed to buy them something in "return" for the favor, so I just opted for a very sincere, prompt thank you note.

[pinacoladasundae]

When teachers wrote me a letter of recommendation, I just wrote a nice, heart-felt thank you. I thought about giving a gift, but it made me feel like I was sort of implying that I needed to buy them something in "return" for the favor, so I just opted for a very sincere, prompt thank you note.

 Thank you, I see your point.  I don't want her to think I felt obligated, I really want to do something for her though! Maybe a letter may do fine.

[BittyB]

I would recommend just a letter/thank-you card.  Gifts become a very murky area in certain types of relationships, especially some professional relationships, so I could see it being received a little awkwardly. 

[lovinAZ]

Besides what the other posters wrote (which I agree with)...

Unless you know her really well, a gift is likely to go to The Place Where Most Gifts to Teachers Go. 

Speaking from personal experience, I don't have most of the gifts children (or their parents) have given me over my teaching career, but I do have all of the nice notes and cards that I have received.  To me, they feel more heartfelt (even though that's what you're trying to convey with the gift) ... and they take up less space 

[Lisbeth]

I'd stick with a heart-felt thank-you letter.

In addition to what the posters before me have mentioned, sometimes teachers aren't allowed to accept gifts from students.  But they should all treasure letters thanking them for the help and preparation they provided to you.

[twinkletoes]

Your prof wrote a letter, and now you write a tynote.  End of transaction, especially if you are currently in a class with this professor.  It might come across as brown-nosing.

[Sibby]

I think it would be highly inappropriate to give a gift for a recommendation because it sets a precident - other classmates might see or catch wind of the gift and it's reasoning and conclude one needs to 'buy' recommendations.

[Hazelthyme]

I'm going to disagree with the majority here, at least in part. 

Obviously, a gift isn't required; all you really need to do is write your prof a nice, sincere thank you note.  But IMO, if this person really went above and beyond the call of duty, there's nothing wrong with a small, token "thank you" gift you think she might enjoy.  (Flowers or something edible are always nice, as they don't need to be kept around long.)  The emphasis here is on small, as it should be obvious that you're just saying thank you and not trying to bribe or "pay off" the professor. 

I would agree, though, that if this prof still has other letters to write for you or you're currently in her class, you wait till that's no longer the case ... otherwise, it looks like you're trying to suck up to get a better grade or recommendation.

And congrats on all your acceptances!

-HB

[artk2002]

I’ve been accepted to five UC’s  (Including my #1 choice UCLA!  ) I’m waiting to see if I get into my #1 choice for private universities.

Yay!!!!!  (As long as that #1 private uni isn't in SoCal...)

I vote for a nice note and a small gift: Something edible, I think.  Teachers really get tired of little knick-knacks cluttering up the house.

[TarHeel]

I'll chime in here.

In your situation (high school) I wrote heart-felt thank-you notes.

In college, when my professors wrote letters of recommendation for law school applications, I wrote heart-felt thank-you notes and gave them home-baked goods (cookies, et).

In law school this past year, when my professors wrote me letters of recommendation for clerkship applications, I wrote heart-felt thank-you notes and sent them chocolates.

Just food for thought.

[Jocelyn]

My professor wrote me a beautiful recommendation for university. I’ve been accepted to five UC’s  (Including my #1 choice UCLA!  ) I’m waiting to see if I get into my #1 choice for private universities. I really want to do something for her since she went out of her way to help me. Would it seem weird to get her a gift?  If not, what would be an appropriate gift?

 

As a professor, I'd feel really, really weird about a student bringing me a gift after I wrote a letter for them. It's part of my job, and a gift sort of implies I did something above and beyond my job- like, I gave a recommendation that honestly wasn't deserved.

OTOH, if this professor would qualify as a 'mentor' (really gave you substantial amounts of encouragement and time), it might be appropriate to stop by her office at some time in the future, when you're home on vacation, with a thank you. That is, you're honoring the relationship, that it continues to affect you, rather than thanking one specific task. Personally, I go back to visit my former committee when I go home to see my parents, and I've thought about making them gifts as thank-yous for the help they gave me, but so far, the main obstacle has been in finding time to make anything.

[Sootikin]

I'm going to disagree with the majority here, at least in part. 

Obviously, a gift isn't required; all you really need to do is write your prof a nice, sincere thank you note.  But IMO, if this person really went above and beyond the call of duty, there's nothing wrong with a small, token "thank you" gift you think she might enjoy.  (Flowers or something edible are always nice, as they don't need to be kept around long.)  The emphasis here is on small, as it should be obvious that you're just saying thank you and not trying to bribe or "pay off" the professor. 

I would agree, though, that if this prof still has other letters to write for you or you're currently in her class, you wait till that's no longer the case ... otherwise, it looks like you're trying to suck up to get a better grade or recommendation.

And congrats on all your acceptances!

-HB

But she hasn't gone above and beyond, she has written the OP a letter of reccommendation, just like she would for any other student.  The fact that the letter is a glowing reference is down to the OP's, attitude, hard work, ability etc.

OP - a thank you note is appropriate, unless by going out of her way to help you she actually did a lot more than write the recommendation (that's not clear from your post), then a small gift might be appropriate.

[pinacoladasundae]

I really like all of the ideas. She has been a mentor to me, and has always encouraged me to break out of my shell. I can be quite shy. I do think that I should wait until the end of the semester to get her something though, and it may very well be a TY note. It seems the most appropriate.

"As a professor, I'd feel really, really weird about a student bringing me a gift after I wrote a letter for them. It's part of my job, and a gift sort of implies I did something above and beyond my job- like, I gave a recommendation that honestly wasn't deserved."

 Jocelyn, I never really thought of that way, thankyou for your insight!

[sandy]

my vote is give her a very nice card and express those sentiments in it,,...