Writing Letters of Recommendation*
If you have been asked to write a letter of recommendation, you may find the following information helpful:
- Confidentiality of References: Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a candidate has a right to inspect any letters of recommendation solicited on his or her behalf to a Reference File. If a candidate chooses to waive the right to see a letter, which may be done on a letter-by-letter basis, he or she should not be shown the letter. If a candidate chooses not to waiver his or her right of access (does not sign a waiver), the letter is not considered confidential, and the candidate may review the letter. Many graduate schools and employers prefer that candidates send confidential letters of recommendation.
- Updates of Recommendation Letters: You may be asked by a candidate to update a letter of recommendation or you may choose to do so on your own. If you submit an updated letter, you would "replace" your previous letter with the update.
- Multiple Letters: You may be asked by a candidate to provide multiple letters, e.g., one in support of application to graduate school and another for employment purposes. Please label those letters clearly, to accommodate a candidate's request to forward a letter designated for a certain purpose.
- Who Should Write a Letter: Recommendation letters are typically requested from individuals who have taught (classroom, laboratory, research or training) or who have worked with or supervised candidates. Letters of recommendation are best written by those individuals who know the candidate well, and can write convincingly about the candidate's abilities. Academic references should address the referee's assessment of academic potential. Is the candidate well suited to graduate/professional school? Is he or she likely to persist to graduation? What is his or her motivation to pursue graduate work? Work-related letters should address the candidate's work habits and accomplishments, and, if possible, suitability to his or her chosen career field. If you do not know the candidate well enough, or do not believe you can write a strong letter of recommendation, you may wish to decline to write and encourage the candidate to identify another referee.
Following are suggestions of most and least helpful content for effective recommendation letters.
Most Helpful Content:
- Explanation of the length and nature of the relationship between the applicant and the letter writer
- Personal characteristics of the applicant, such as integrity, reliability, determination, motivation, professionalism
- Candidate's leadership qualities
- Contrasted strengths and weaknesses
- Descriptions of the candidate's social and interpersonal skills
- Assessment of the candidate's academic performance (especially work about which you have direct knowledge)
- Knowledge of scholarship activities that go beyond the classroom
- Interest in subject matter
- Commitment to chosen field
- Candidate's ability to work well with others and to work independently or without supervision
- Comparison to other students/workers
Least Helpful Content
- Indicators of a lack of a strong relationship between the candidate and the letter writer
- Repetition of information found elsewhere in the candidate's record (i.e., transcript, application)
- Unsubstantiated superlatives, vague generalities or lack of specific examples
- Inclusion of information irrelevant to the purpose of the letter
- Extrapolations from a single class or incident
- Assessments based on dated information or a relationship in the distant past
- Personal items such as religious affiliation, race, age, family relationship to reference writer
*Adapted, in part, from "To Individuals Writing Letters for Preprofessional Health Students" by Academic Advising Services.
