The hardest part about the application process is asking people to write a recommendation for you. First of all, you have to choose recommenders. Do you choose people who know you pretty well? Do you choose someone who can write well? Do you choose someone who is high in stature but may not know you very well? Do you choose a professor who would have written a letter of rec for you 4 years ago but right now probably doesn't remember you? Decisions...decisions... the other things that could be a problem in terms of requesting a letter of recommendation is that in requesting it, you may make that person feel uncomfortable and in doing so, he/she may give you a negative letter of recommendation. (That would be very bad.) I realize that timing and tactful presentation is everything here...