Character Competencies Skills and abilities
Some people will be more than happy to write you a recommendation letter. Others might struggle because of a language barrier or time constraints. Many will ask you to write the letter, then check it before submitting it. Regardless of who writes the letter, a few components are essential to crafting the perfect letter of recommendation. It is also important to request a letter of recommendation in an appropriate way. This article will help you send the best possible recommendation letter for your graduate application. You’ll discover:
Who can write a letter of recommendation for grad school Best practices for requesting a letter of recommendation What information you need to provide Examples of ideal recommendation letters
Who Can Write a Recommendation Letter for Graduate School?
Asking the right people to craft your recommendation letter is essential for a successful application. The right letter might even lead to additional funding for tuition or paid employment as a teaching or research assistant. As a guideline, the people you ask should have known you for at least six months, though a year would be better, and have developed a good relationship with you. Do not ask anyone you do not have a serious relationship with or who is likely to write you an unfavorable recommendation. The type of people you should approach are:
Professors at the school you are graduating from Professors who know you well Someone professional you know well who has the same degree you plan to do A supervisor or manager at a job or internship related to your graduate program
The people you ask should also have a good reputation within the university, industry or community. For example, if you have worked with, or know, any politicians, lawyers, civil leaders or published professors, reach out to them first. Graduate programs are highly competitive. Having a high-profile person write your recommendation letter will help your application stand out. The number of people you ask will depend on your application, though most require two recommendations. Make a list of around five to 10 people in order of preference, and ask in that order. It may be that your preferred two cannot write your recommendation letter, so be prepared with backups.
How Do You Request a Letter of Recommendation?
It is best to arrange face-to-face meetings with the people you want to write your letter of recommendation. This way, you can sit down with them and explain your reasons for going to graduate school, as well as politely ask them if they would be happy to write you a recommendation letter. You should also bring with you all the information they will need, such as your resume and transcripts. This will make it easier for them to write the letter. Make sure you let your recommender know when the deadline is and give them one or two months to write the letter. Knowing they have ample time to work on your letter will encourage them to say yes. After they have written your letter of recommendation, send a professional thank-you email with additional copies of all the information they might need.
What Information Do You Need to Provide?
Using the information you provide, your recommender should be able to answer the following questions:
What is the relationship between you and the student? What makes the student so special? Did they do anything to impress you? What makes this student qualified for this program? What do you know about the program they are applying for?
In their letter, they should talk about how you have improved and be able to relate your academic/work experience to the course you are applying for. The language and format should be:
More personal than research-based In first-person active voice In chronological order, starting with important traits then achievements Detailed with specific course names, scores and achievements
As such, you should provide the following:
Updated resume or CV Your GPA Academic achievements Any awards or honors Volunteer work such as internships or any charities you might support – especially if you occupy a leadership position Extracurricular activities Transcripts Details of personal and professional goals Information about the program you are applying for Letter of recommendation guidelines from the school you are applying to Application dates and deadlines
The letter of recommendation should not:
Include generic statements Contain cliches Be too formal or lack personality
I hope this email finds you well. As you are aware, I am applying for the MSc Computer Science program at Colombia University and wondered if you would feel comfortable writing a letter of recommendation for me? Your support and guidance over the last three years have been integral to completing my bachelor’s and having the confidence to pursue a master’s degree. As someone so respected in the STEM community and a professor I greatly admire, having you recommend me would mean the world. The deadline is in three months. If you are willing and able to write my recommendation letter, I will email the supporting documents. However, if you prefer, we can meet in person to discuss my application. I appreciate your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Warmest wishes, Sam Surname I wanted to thank you for agreeing to write my letter of recommendation to Colombia University. I have learned so much from you during my bachelor’s degree and feel confident enough to pursue this master’s degree because of the confidence you gave me. I have attached all the information you may need to this email for your reference. If there is anything else you need from me, please let me know. I can’t wait to contact you again to confirm my acceptance. Warmest regards, Sam Surname I am writing today hoping that you will strongly consider Sam Surname for your MSc Computer Science program. She would be a perfect asset, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. I am a senior professor at UCLA and have known Sam for three years. I was lucky enough to be her tutor for Logic and Mathematical Techniques, Networks and Operating Systems, and Creating a Winning Business. Sam excelled in all these areas and created some truly unique and innovative ideas that I look forward to seeing in the real world. She is reliable, hard-working and encourages her peers to work as a unified team. She was one of the most committed students I have ever taught in over thirty years. Sam was always in good spirits and took feedback very well. In fact, she loved knowing how and where she could improve and made every effort to do so. Her computer-engineering skills are highly developed, and I enjoyed seeing her fix software issues and improve current systems. Sam developed a teacher/student network for her final-year project that allowed us to create virtual classrooms, share presentations and work virtually together during the pandemic. Before COVID-19, the school didn’t have this type of program, and we were all having issues with Zoom and Skype. Her network worked perfectly among students and teachers and included accessibility options. It truly was impressive. Finally, her professionalism and dedication to her goals are unmatched. Her assignments were always on time, she scored top of her class, and she was always a team player. Outside of her bachelor’s, Sam always found ways to facilitate her personal and professional development. She frequently attended networking events and developed relationships with industry professionals. Most impressive of all was Sam’s volunteer work which included two different weekly workshops. The first was technology skills for the elderly, where she helped older people understand online banking, the basics of a computer and how to pay bills online. The second was computer skills for young girls. Her goal with this workshop was to inspire a new generation of female STEM leaders. Sam truly is a rare student with exceptional skills. I hope you will take the opportunity to meet this exceptional student. I offer this recommendation without hesitation or reservation and would be happy to discuss Sam’s application further, should you need it. Yours sincerely, Damien Lastname, PhD Graduate courses are extremely competitive, with only a limited number of spaces available. A good letter of recommendation will allow the faculty to understand more about your goals, ambitions and character. It will also help you stand out from the other candidates. In some cases, an excellent recommendation letter may even lead to extra funding or paid work. They can also be from respected politicians, lawyers and civil leaders, if you know them well enough. Your boss is a good choice of recommender if the job role is related to the program you intend to study.
A description of how the recommender knows you, how long for, and how they know your work Specific examples of why they think you’ll be successful in the program What they think are your top qualities Their recommendation, especially in comparison with your peers
If you know that you intend on applying for graduate school, begin cultivating your relationships as soon as possible. This way, you will have several people willing to write the letter for you. When asking your recommenders, provide them with all the necessary information and follow the university guidelines.
