Study Abroad : Letter of Recommendation

Study Abroad December 1st, 2008

The talk about a letter of recommendation might perhaps bring to our mind pictures of unfair attempts to gain advantage through underhand means. But the recommendation we contemplate here is of an entirely different kind. It is an accepted academic practice used to ensure the right selection of deserving candidates for college admission. Most undergraduate as well as graduate schools require prospective students to submit at least two letters of recommendation. These shoul d reflect the candidate’s competence, commitment and work ethic.

The letters are a part of your application package, unless they are required to be mailed directly to the institution concerned by the person making the recommendation. A simple principle to be kept in mind is that a letter of recommendation should suggest what your academic test scores do not tell. It should indicate your aptitude, intellectual curiosity, industry, maturity, seriousness of purpose and integrity. The letter can compliment you on your achievement.

You should carefully select the person to write the letters. The admitting institutions should feel that he is competent to issue such a letter. The natural choice is one of your teachers who knows your capabilities and approach to work. Further, he should be aware of the purpose of recommendation letters in the process of securing admission in foreign universities or other academic institutions. Some of your teachers may not be familiar with the significance of the letter of recommendation. In such cases, you should help the teacher appreciate the need of a properly written letter of recommendation. He should be familiar with your achievements. If he could indicate instances that reveal finer aspects of your work ethic or academic brilliance, you stand to gain immensely.

The letter has to be written in elegant language, without exaggeration or hollow overstatement. It should sound factual and convincing. A letter from a reputed academic in your own field will certainly help you. The higher his stature or official position the better. A senior professor’s letter will carry more weight than the one from a junior lecturer.

Do not ask a person to write a letter for you in a hurry. The writing should not be casual. It should contain substantial information that would assist the admission committee to decide your selection for the programme. Do not think that a person can write a letter for you offhand. You will have to provide necessary information that has to be covered in the letter. You may prepare a written statement containing what all you expect to be covered. Leave the judgment or assessment part to the person who writes the letter.

If you are preparing a draft for the writer, you have to put yourself in his shoes and try to project his perspective. You should, however, not feel shy of giving factual information about your admirable qualities and skills. If you assume that the writer knows you through and through and so he would add all those by himself, you may get disappointed. He may overlook something you feel vital in your attributes. If you are versatile, the different areas of skill have to be indicated. You can be proud of your strengths, but not vain or big-headed. Prepare a draft that the person making the recommendation can safely sign. It is up to him to make changes if necessary.

Do not just ask someone to write a letter of recommendation for you. First find out a convenient time to talk to the person. Explain your effort in seeking admission to a foreign university or institution and the motivation behind your venture. He has to be convinced of the utility of the programme. Mention the details of the programme, so that he gets a true picture of the area you desire to enter for further studies. The writer should necessarily know the type of people who would read his letter of recommendation, for the purpose of evaluating your suitability for a programme of study. Never dictate a time frame for his preparing the letter; just mention the process you are in. If he asks you to prepare a draft letter, do it promptly. He can then modify the draft, make addition or deletion and bring it into the final form.

Characteristics

If you are writing a letter of recommendation, you have to keep several things in mind. There is no hard and fast rule with regard to the length or structure of a letter of recommendation. It should convey the intended message with clarity and ease. As an expert once suggested, “good recommendation letters are highly formulaic,” indicating thereby that they should be made up of fixed patterns of words or ideas. This should be kept in mind by the writer. As in any good letter writing, you have to put yourself in the reader’s shoes and view the situation. Your letter should be accepted with the seriousness you have in mind. The vocabulary should be appropriate. The length could be anything from 300 to 600 words.

You should realise that the contents have to be worthy of attention. They should reflect your fine judgement of the candidate’s attributes. The reader should feel that you vouch for the candidate. The letter should give something that is not seen in the test scores or resume. These factors would guarantee the utility of the letter.

The candidate should select the writer considering the factors that ensure the credibility of the letter. The status and position of the writer, his close relation with the candidate’s work and the writer’s balance of mind as revealed by his approach and language are significant. The physical form is also vital; it should be elegant whether as an electronic document or as a hard copy. The writer may keep in mind the usual structure of a letter.

Introduction: Indicate why you are writing the letter (to recommend the candidate for admission to the programme – specify the name of the candidate and the name of the programme). Bring out briefly how you know the candidate – in what capacity; for what duration. The opening line should be carefully drafted, since it would make a first impression. If you start with phrases like, ‘it is a matter of honour and prestige for me to recommend’, the rating of the candidate is naturally taken to be very high. It is not advisable to use such wordings for all candidates. There are indeed moderate expressions in the language. Since there is a possibility of the letter not being read in full by a busy professor at the destination, your overall impression of the candidate should be indicated in this early part itself.
Body: It should be logically divided into four or five paragraphs. First a general assessment of the candidate, followed by specific points to support the assessment. Further paragraphs can show personal qualities and anecdotes. Ensure that the transition is smooth. The different paragraphs should draw a general trend showing that the significant attributes of the candidate converge to a focus justifying the candidate’s admission.
Conclusion: State clearly your confidence and trust in the candidate, stressing his potential for success in the pursuit of the contemplated programme. Effective words or phrases for bringing out the candidate’s attributes: ambitious, amenable to discipline, attention to detail, balanced, caring, charming, committed, considerate, cost-conscious, courteous, creative, dedicated, detail-oriented, determined, devoted, diligent, efficient, empathetic, fair-minded, follows instructions, generous, genial, goal-oriented, good communicator, good leader, good listener, hardworking, helpful, honest, industrious, initiative, intellectual curiosity, intelligent, law-abiding, level-headed, light-hearted, logical, loyal, mature, methodical, natural curiosity, orderly, organised, patient, people-oriented, persevering, persistent, polite, presentation skill, problem-solver, punctual, quality-minded, quick learner, research-minded, responsible, result-oriented, self-starter, sense of humour, spirit of enquiry, team player, thorough, time management, trustworthy, wants to learn and grow, wise, works independently and zeal.