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In the U.S., letters of recommendation are often among the most important aspects of an application. Most of the materials you submit for the evaluation of your application to a degree program are quantitative: academic transcripts, standardized test scores, class rank, etc. A letter of recommendation speaks to your non-quantitative qualities, for example, leadership skills, passion and dedication to your field, or a commitment to one's community. These letters can often be the tipping point in an admissions committee decision to offer a candidate a place in a program, especially in what are called "borderline"cases. Following are some guidelines and some things to do to help your recommenders so that they can write you the best letter possible.
Letters of recommendation should ideally touch on the following points of potential interest to admissions committees:
How strong are your research, analytical, writing and speaking skills?
Do you offer thoughtful contributions to class discussions?
Do you have good interpersonal skills that enable you to get along with faculty and other students?
Do you exhibit strong leadership skills?
Have you contributed to the various extracurricular activities on campus and in your community?
What makes you different (in a good way) from other students that he/she has taught or worked with?
By mentioning subjects like these, letters of recommendation can provide the "big picture" of your overall promise and potential, something not necessarily revealed by test scores or past academic performance (especially if it was in a different subject), but is every bit as important for predicting success in an academic program. In the U.S., admissions committees know this, and they read letters very carefully.
Most schools ask you to provide three letters of recommendation. Naturally, you should get letters from professors, advisors and/or employers who know you best. A bland or neutral letter from somebody who knows you only as a name on a large class list can hurt more than it helps. Ideally, your letter writers are your advocates for admission. However, their advocacy can be only as effective as their knowledge about you.
By providing your recommender with information about you and the program you wish to attend, he/she can write you a stronger letter of recommendation. It can be helpful to provide an outline of these below items for the letter writer as well as some specific examples:
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your overall GPA or class ranking
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a list of courses and exams you have taken and grades earned
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the titles and abstracts of any research papers you have written
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honor societies to which you belong
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awards that you have won
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activities in which you have participated (and any offices held)
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professional experience (including part-time jobs and internships)
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service activities such as volunteer work
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a description of your professional, personal and academic goals
Other helpful hints:
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If at all possible, it’s best to make your request for a letter of recommendation face-to-face so that you can discuss your goals and interests in detail, and you can explain why you’ve selected the programs you are applying to.
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If the program you are applying for is seeking students with specific skills and qualities, be sure to ask your letter writers to address these areas in their letters about you. If you are lacking a required prerequisite but feel that you are still a strong candidate for the program, also ask your letter writer to speak about this, and to give examples/evidence of why you are a good fit for the program.
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Present your letter writer with an organized package including the required form(s), your resume, some information about the program(s) you are applying to, the address(es) of the program(s), and a portfolio of your work (optional.) Also be sure to explain the submission process (Should they send the letter directly to the school, or to you? Is it submitted electronically?) and the deadline(s) for each program.
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Be sure to give your recommender adequate time to get your letter in before the stated deadline. (If possible, a minimum of six weeks before the final deadline is best.)
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Finally, it’s a nice idea to send a thank you note to each of your recommenders. It’s a lot of work to write a strong letter of recommendation and you never know when you may need to call on one of these people in the future (for a job reference or another academic program.)
Sample Recommendation Letter as a PDF Letter |
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