How good do master's rec letters have to be? I'm going to be out of undergrad working for 2-3 years before I go back to grad school. My end goal is a PhD, but I would do a Master's first because I think I would be able to hack it financially and my research experience is sort of weak. My only concern is being out of school for that long and needing to go back and get letters. Which brings me to my question: do letters for MS programs have to be as good and detailed as those for PhD programs, or is it O.K. for them to be positive but generic if everything else in my file looks good? Assume I want to get into some &gt;40 rank programs. I'm in the US and my field of study is (the neighborhood of) CS/Applied Math.
Unless you want an MS for its own sake, in the US you should probably just apply to a few doctoral programs. Most applicants here hold only a BS/BA degree. Few programs require significant research in that case. It also gives you the opportunity to earn a stipend as a TA to support your studies, including paying for your tuition.
One problem with taking a break and then getting an MS is that you still need to pass comprehensive exams in most programs. The MS may prepare you well for that or not. Starting a doctoral program after a BS leads you through the required advanced courses to enable that. In many such programs you can earn a masters along the way for little effort.
In the US, letters of recommendation are quite important as they give information beyond the formal record, including making it possible for an admissions committee to make a fairly accurate prediction of a candidates likelihood of success. Without good letters, admission is difficult for any graduate degree program, but especially if it is research focused.
The implication is that you should stay in contact with your professors if you need to take a break. Visiting once a year to &quot;catch up&quot; with professors who have worked with you is a good plan. Keep them up to date on what you've been doing and your goal evolution.
Some of the &quot;top 40&quot; programs are State Universities with relatively large programs. Don't restrict your search too narrowly. There is a lot of competition and any of the R1 universities will likely do a good job.