Many applications require one or more letters of recommendation, which can be difficult to obtain, particularly for those who are early in their careers. While a strong letter of recommendation can strengthen an application, an average or below average letter of recommendation can hurt your application. Dr. Park would be delighted to write a strong letter of recommendation for:

• Current or past graduate students who are meeting or exceeding expectations

• Current or past (within the last 4 years) undergraduate research assistants who are meeting or exceeding expectations for at least one term

• Current or past (within the last 4 years) practicum students who are meeting or exceeding expectations for at least one term

• Current or past (within the last 4 years) students accepted into UCLA's Youth Behavioral Health minor who are meeting or exceeding expectations

• Current or past (within the last 4 years) undergraduate students from Dr. Park's courses who attended office hours on at least three occasions, received an A grade, and demonstrated academic integrity and professionalism

Dr. Park generally finds it difficult to write a strong letter for trainees she has not had the opportunity to get to know well. If you are unsure whether you meet the criteria above, please reach out to discuss before submitting a request.

To request a letter of recommendation:

1. Complete this Qualtrics form. The form will ask about your working relationship with Dr. Park, the type of letter you need, and materials specific to your opportunity (e.g., a draft statement of purpose, specific aims, or research abstracts). Most students complete it in about 15 to 20 minutes. We'd recommend reviewing the form before you begin so that you can gather any materials (CV, statement of purpose draft, specific aims, etc.) you'll want to reference or paste in while completing it.

2. Upload your CV/resume to Box. After you submit the form, you'll be emailed a Box folder link for uploading your CV/resume (and any other supplemental materials the form doesn't already collect).

3. Submit your completed form, CV/resume, and any materials needed to submit your letter (e.g., an online portal link) at least three weeks before your deadline. Requests submitted with less than three weeks' notice may not be able to be accommodated.

   • Many submission portals ask you to enter basic information about your recommender. Please fill in as much of the following as possible:

     • Name: Alayna Park

     • Title/salutation: Dr.

     • Highest degree: Ph.D.

     • Position: Lecturer & Researcher

     • Institution/Affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles (if Dr. Park supervised your work at the University of Oregon, please also list "previously, University of Oregon")

     • Department: Department of Psychology

     • Mailing address: 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095

     • Email: alaynapark@psych.ucla.edu

4. If you haven't received confirmation that your letter has been submitted within two business days of your deadline, please send Dr. Park a reminder email. She does her best to stay on top of every request, but a quick nudge helps ensure nothing is missed.

Requesting more than one letter? Please submit a separate Qualtrics form for each individual application. This helps ensure Dr. Park has the specific materials and details needed for each opportunity.