When trying to further your career or education, having people vouch for your qualifications and character can be extremely helpful. This can be done by asking people in your life to write letters of recommendation. “A letter of recommendation is a formal document that discusses a person’s suitability for a particular role.”
A letter of recommendation is more complex than simply writing a casual email to a friend, however. You’ll want to think closely about who you ask, and then make sure they know the correct format for writing the letter.
Are Letters of Recommendation Always Needed?
The short answer is no, letters of recommendation for graduate school applications are not always needed for graduate school. You can show a college or university that you would be a good fit for their programs, including transcripts, a statement of purpose essay, a personal statement essay, and a resume.
Finding people who are willing to write recommendation letters can sometimes be challenging, and many schools recognize this and choose to waive this requirement in favor of one or more of the other items listed above. It’s up to you to determine what the requirements are for your preferred program; most schools will list them on their website, or you can call and speak to an admissions counselor.
Why Are Letters of Recommendation for Grad School Important?
Although it’s not always easy to find people who are willing to write letters on your behalf, it’s absolutely worth it to try. Letters of recommendation are excellent when it comes to showing an admissions committee why you would be a good candidate for a program. They are an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to demonstrating the full picture of who you are as a person: a student, an employee, and a contributing member of society.
Who should you ask to write letters of recommendation?
You’ll want to find people who can speak positively about your credentials and abilities; this may be an employer, a professor, or someone else you’ve worked closely with. Avoid asking close friends or relatives because their opinions may be skewed. In general, schools won’t accept letters from people with whom you’re related, anyway.
When asking someone to write a letter for you, consider the following factors:
- Do they have time?
- How do they know you, and do they know you well enough to speak on your behalf?
- Are they familiar with your academic experiences?
- Are they familiar with the program for which you’re applying?
- Can they speak positively on your integrity, character, work ethic, and other qualities that will help you stand out from the other applicants?
What information do you need to provide your recommenders?
- The name of the school(s) and program(s) for which you are applying
- The deadline for your application
- A current resume and/or most recent transcripts
- Some notes about your educational and career goals, as well as any accomplishments you want them to address in their letter
- Directions for how the recommender should submit the letter
What a Good Graduate School Letter of Recommendation Looks Like
In general, a good letter of recommendation will be positive, detailed, and written from people directly in your field. Some schools will even provide templates for people who are writing letters of recommendation, so make sure you look into that prior to asking someone to write a letter for you. If there is no template, the recommender should follow the format as if they were writing a business letter. Make sure to include a salutation at the beginning, and then break it up into sections.
The first section should explain how you know the person for whom you’re writing the letter. You’ll also want to explain why you’re a qualified candidate to write a letter for them, i.e.: you work closely with them doing research, you oversee them at work, etc.
The second section should be all about the person you’re writing the letter about. You’ll want to discuss all their positive qualities, their character, and why you think they would be an excellent addition to the program for which they’re applying. Try to use specific examples of times you directly saw them exhibit the characteristics you’re talking about in a professional setting.
At the end of the letter, write a brief summary of the things you already stated, and add in some information about how you can be contacted with questions (your phone number, email address, etc.)
Are you ready to start applying to graduate school? Hopefully this article has made the recommendation letter requirement a little less daunting. Yes, letters of recommendation for grad school can be tricky, and it may be time consuming to find people to write them on your behalf, but once you do they have the power to make your application stand out among all the others!
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