Letters-of-Recommendation.org
Tips, Templates, Samples, and Techniques that Get Results

Instant Letter Robot
Fill in the form and the computer does the rest; impressive quality

Sample Letters of Recommendation
Complete letters you can mix and match to develop your own

Letters of Recommendation (Home)


Letters of Recommendation for Scholarships

Letters of Recommendation for Teachers

Personal Letters of Recommendation

Student Letters of Recommendation

Job Letters of Recommendation


Specific Types of Letters of Recommendation



College Letters of Recommendation

Information & samples of college letters of recommendation - writing letters, asking for letters, special tips, and persuasive writing techniques.

When students apply to undergraduate programs, the application process usually includes at least two college letters of recommendation from teachers or others who can honestly evaluate the student's academic ability and potential as a scholar. These letters count a lot in making the decision on whether or not to accept the student so it is important that you provide the admissions committee with the kind of information that is most helpful.

Only agree to write college letters of recommendation if you can write positive things about the candidate. It is best to be honest with the student and tell them to ask

Yours Free
Quick-Start Guide to
Letters of Recommendation

someone else if what you have to say is going to hurt their chances of acceptance.

Find out what the student's specific goals are before you begin writing the recommendation. You want to emphasize the aspects of their personality and academic performance that relate to that goal.


The letter should include:
  • Your status -- your position at the school or job title. How long have you known the student and in what capacity (as a teacher, an adviser, a research supervisor, etc.) The better you know the student, the more effective your recommendation will be.
  • Examples -- Admission committees want specifics, NOT generalizations. It is good to say that someone is hardworking and organized, but you need to back up these statements with concrete examples.
  • Expected Results -- Talk about what the student has done and is capable of doing. What is it exactly about the student that makes her or him special? Why do you think this student would benefit from studying at the school in question?
  • Comparisons -- Evaluate the student by comparing him or her with other students you have observed in your work. Quantify your impressions. Is the student in the top 5% of his or her classmates, top 10%, 25%, 50%? You can use phrases such as excellent, very good, average, or below average.

The following is a suggestion of categories you may wish to use for comparison:

Top / Bottom

  • Intellectual Ability
  • Work Habits
  • Teaching Potential
  • Seriousness of Purpose
  • Knowledge of Field
  • Emotional Maturity
  • Resourcefulness and Initiative
  • Adaptability to New Situations
  • Motivation to Pursue Graduate Study
  • Potential for Contribution in Field

One page is sufficient for most college letters of recommendation. Quality, not quantity, is what is important. Make every sentence count. Do not put something in if an immediate connection cannot be made between that information and the student's ability to participate in the program.

Technically, students are not supposed to see college letters of recommendation. Most schools ask that the recommender put the letter in an envelope, seal it shut, and sign over the seal. Nevertheless, it is generally a good idea to go over at least an initial draft in person with the student. If the student is not happy with your letter, then she should have the option of looking elsewhere.


Where to Next?

Instant Letter Robot
Fill in the form and the computer does the rest; impressive quality

Sample Letters of Recommendation
Complete letters you can mix and match to develop your own

Student Letters of Recommendation
Information, examples, and advice regarding student recommendation letters: admission, scholarships, and internships. Includes writing, requesting, and using letters effectively to open doors.

Letter of Recommendation Template
One of the biggest challenges in writing is to organize your thoughts effectively; this section will show you how

Letter of Recommendation Forms
Fastest, easiest, and surest way to professional results. Standard letter of recommendation forms can serve as templates for writing effective letters of recommendation quickly and easily; the most practical are software-driven

Letter-Machine.com - Out of all, this is the easiest and surest way to success. Letter-Machine.com is a letter generator - or electronic form / template - for letter of recommendation. You fill in the blanks, select the options you want, and press a button; the software does the rest. Very cool. Click the following link for more information: Letter of Recommendation Forms

Letter of Recommendation Example Pack - Provides several examples of the various types of letters people generally need: job application, student admission, scholarships, personal, etc. All of the letters use the "success formula" we discuss here (see Letter of Recommendation Template), so they all have the same structure. This makes it relatively easy to cut and paste different sections together from several different letters to produce a coherent and professional letter. The package is in Acrobat (PDF) format, which virtually all computers these days can read (the reader is a free download anyway). You will be able to copy and paste what you need, so there is no re-typing. Click the following link for more information: Letter of Recommendation Example Pack

Specific Types of Letters of Recommendation
We've included a special section on some of the more common types of letters of recommendation to discuss issues particular to each one

Letters of Recommendation.org Index
Home page of this web site.

Top

copyright (c) 2008 Randal Breaux
All Rights Reserved