Recommendation Letters 

Recommendation letters are the second most crucial document (after SOP) that the admission committees look into. Usually three recommendation letters are required to certify that you are a student of really high caliber and academic standing.

Recommendation letters are letters written by professors or supervisors/managers (if you are currently working) who know you well, assessing you capacity to meet the requirements of the program you are applying to. They are supposed to help decision-makers to get a better picture of your potential. The sure thing is, if you are applying for a master’s or a PhD program, you will be asked to provide at least three letters.

Writing recommendation letters for students is a very time consuming task. It should be looked upon as a favor that faculty offer for students. It should not be expected. Faculty
always reserves the right to refuse. Thus, it is important to ask courteously and give the professor sufficient time to prepare the letter.

The importance of Recommendation Letters

University admission committees need to know as much as possible about an applicant before they take a decision. Letters of recommendation provide them information from a professor or employer who has been personally involved with the candidate. This outside source provides a valuable record of the candidate's previous experience and can testify to his or her skills and abilities. An effective letter of recommendation:

• verifies experience
  
• confirms competence
  
• builds credibility
  
• bolsters confidence

Strong letters of recommendation can greatly increase one's chances of being accepted to the university. Therefore, it is important to consider carefully who will write the letters, who will provide the most positive recommendation, who will write the fairest letter, how long has the professor/teacher known the student etc.

Some important points

• Choose an appropriate professor/manager. Before you choose which professo to ask for a recommendation, ask yourself:
  Does this professor know my name?
  Have I ever spoken to this professor outside of class?
  Did this professor give me a good grade in the course?
  Have I taken more than one course with this professor?
  You want to choose a professor who can write a letter that includes specifics about your personal characteristics or accomplishments rather than "glittering generalities." The more you can answer "yes" to the questions above, the greater the likelihood you're making a wise choice.
  
• Request your professor at least 5-6 weeks before the date by which the recommendation must be received. Don't wait until the last minute to ask them. They lead busy lives, and you don't want them to rush through your recommendation, if they can even make the time to write it.
• Give your professors the details. Where does the letter need to go? And when do you need it?
• Letters should be in a sealed envelop that is signed on the back by the faculty member. (Universities will never consider letters presented in an unsealed envelop). Students should always provide faculty with details of the program to which they are applying and the name of the university and the department.
  

• Faculty/teachers may choose to return the letter to the student or send it to the university themselves. In this case, students must provide the teachers with the exact address. However, try to send the letters of recommendation with the application package. If this is not possible, the cover letter sent with the application package must explain the estimated time of arrival of the letters and details of who is sending them.

Academic Recommendation Letters
Admission to any institute of higher learning in the U.S. usually requires letters of recommendation. Graduate programs often require the submission of two or more letters written by professors that frequently follow specifically outlined procedures for their creation and submission. Be sure to follow these instructions carefully.

A faculty member, academic advisor, or administrator typically writes letters required for admission to post-graduate studies. In some cases, an employer can write the letter if academic recommendations are not available. These letters provide the admissions committee with information not found in the application--information that shows the applicant matches the school's expectations and requirements. The letter also provides an opportunity for an applicant to be seen as an individual, and helps him or her to stand out from the hundreds or thousands of other applicants.

It is important that the person providing the recommendation has a good understanding of your academic history, interests, goals, and direction. Normally, this type of recommendation letter is addressed to a specific person and should be submitted along with the admission application or as outlined in the admission procedure. In many cases, accredited universities require that letters of recommendation be sent directly to specific departments or to the admissions office. If this is the case, the applicant may be required to sign a waiver of confidentiality and relinquish his or her right to access the information contained in the letter or forms. Academic letters of recommendation may contain evidence or confirmation of the following:

• Academic performance
• Honors and awards
• Initiative, dedication, integrity, reliability, etc.
• Willingness to follow school policy
• Ability to work with others
• Ability to work independently  

Employer Recommendation Letters
Letters of recommendation from a previous or current employer can provide a vehicle for you to convey to the admission committees a credible history of your skills, abilities, job performance, and accomplishments. This is especially important in MBA admissions.

The admission committees usually prefer letter of recommendation from a direct supervisor or manager with personal knowledge of the employee's performance on the job and positions held. This person might also add comments regarding individual qualities such as initiative and dedication. A paragraph may also be included about character references testifying to the candidate's work ethic, dependability, and motivation level.

The credibility of the letter writer is very important in a character reference. Ask for this type of letter only if you are on good terms with a current employer and he or she is able to respond positively to news that you are leaving. Letters of recommendation from employers may contain evidence or confirmation of some or all of the following:

• The position held in the company
• Summary of job responsibilities
• Strengths, skills, and talents
• Initiative, dedication, integrity, reliability, etc.
• Ability to work with a team
• Ability to work independently

Writing Your Own Letter of Recommendation!

Another part of the harsh reality is that due to different reasons, Indian students often find themselves in the position where they have to write these letters themselves. The professor will, in this case, only sign the text.

At times, a busy professor will suggest more or less directly that you produce a first draft of the text that he or she will modify, proof-read and sign. In other cases, this is the only way you can get a letter that differs from the standard text every student gets from that professor. 

If you as a student are put in the position of writing your own letter of recommendation, here are a few point to consider while drafting your letter.

A recommendation letter ideally starts by stating the name of the professor who writes the letter and his/her title, along with the name of the student for whom the letter is written. The professor should also state since when has s/he known the student: year, class or other activity. It should, in any case, be clear that the professor has had the opportunity to get to know the student well and assess his/her capabilities.

Next provide an accurate assessment of your strengths without dwelling on limitations. Letters of recommendation are intended to be positive and realistic evaluations of performance, competence, and capability. Do not shy away from communicating your strengths. List your strengths, talents, and abilities. You may include adjectives like diligence, punctuality, leadership, reliability, enthusiasm, creativity, independence, teamwork, organization, etc. Try to highlight your strengths and accomplishments without bragging. Be complimentary and positive, but be honest and specific about your achievements and capabilities.

This assessment of the your capabilities should be made from a multiple point of view over the next 2-3 paragraphs. From a professional point of view, it should give account of your knowledge, interests and capabilities, activities and results, work capacity etc. Personally, it should assess your personal characteristics, character, social skills, your relations with other students and professors. The direction should be from facts/experience to qualifications, and from those, to value judgments. Especially those skills relevant for the desired program should be outlined throughout the letter.

The final paragraph should provide an overall assessment of your potential to fulfill the requirements of the particular program, even though partial judgments can and should be provided in the body of the letter.

Try to write as you would write about a candidate with your qualifications. Use a professional vocabulary and style; write as if you were the professor providing the letter. Get help from a friend or colleague seeing yourself as others see you. Ask your friend to tell you how your letter comes across. Keep the tone and the content factual, businesslike, and specific throughout.

Some of the graduate study programs supply you with forms for the recommendation letters that ask the professor a number of specific questions about your skills and qualifications. Sometimes, check box space for the answer is provided after each question, and this is where the answers should be written, rather than on a separate sheet of paper. Other times, the questions come as a block, and the professor has the option to answer the question still in the form of a letter. Should you chose this option, make sure the letter answers clearly every single question, preferably in the order in which they are asked on the form.

Don't forget to write the date and the name of your current university. The name of the program you are applying to should come out explicitly in the body of the text, in order to make clear that the letter has been written for that occasion. Unless the format of the paper on which the letter should be written makes this difficult, always print the text on the space provided. Handwritten letters can be messy sometimes! 

When you are done writing the letter, have the text copied on a disk and take it to the professor for any changes necessary. Be prepared to give the professor the time to read your draft and make those changes.

Many recommendation forms contain a certain number of fields, the multiple-choice kind, where the professor has to assess, by checking cells, your abilities. Make sure those fields are checked and insert the text in the place left for additional remarks. We strongly suggest that you do not leave blank that portion of the form, but use it instead as a self-standing recommendation letter.

Some points to remember...

The number of recommendations required may vary by school and program. Be sure to check admissions guidelines to ensure that you submit the appropriate number of recommendations and type (e.g., academic vs. professional) required for the program to which you are applying.

When selecting a professor, go to those who know you and have had positive experiences with you.

Faculty recommendations are particularly important if you're planning on pursuing a research degree like PhD. If you're applying to a professional degree program, a mix of faculty and those who may know you in a professional capacity are
usually acceptable. Do not submit recommendations from people who only know you as a family member or friend.

Make the process as easy as possible for your professors. Contact them first to ask if they would be willing – and have time-- to provide a recommendation. Be sure to tell them the program and degree to which you're applying and include information about yourself (a resume or bio, a copy of your personal statement, a copy of a good paper you may have submitted in their class).

If the professor provides a clue (e.g. an email sent to you prior to a completed letter of recommendation) that his/her recommendation won't be as favorable as you might like, thank him/her for his consideration and tell him/her that you have located another reference.

DO NOT ask to read a copy of the letter before it is sent. It is not appropriate to do this. The idea is that the professor sends an honest evaluation without having to explain him/herself to the student. If you think that the professor may not have the greatest things to say, then ask if they believe that they have the impression and material that they need to write a recommendation that WILL benefit you in your goal.  

After you get your letter of recommendation, send a thank you note to the professor. It's not only polite and the right thing to do, but you never know when that will pay benefits down the road. You may need another letter at another time for another purpose, or if you're in a similar field, they may be able to assist you at some other time. If the letter does the trick and gets you the admission, call the professor to share the good news!

Remember that they are not obligated to write recommendations. Your professors have generally spent decades working very hard to build their reputation. Whenever they write a recommendation, they are putting that reputation on the line. In general, they are only going to do so for students whom they really believe in.

Usually, recommendation letters have to be written on especially designed sheets of paper that come as part of your application form. In most cases, letters on professor's letterhead will be accepted, if for some reasons, they can’t use those special pieces of paper. Read carefully what has been written in the application booklet about such situations. Fill in the fields at the beginning at the form that ask for your name, department, etc. Take the forms to a professor who knows you and is familiar with your skills or activity. Allow the professor as much time as possible (ideally 2-3 weeks) to write your letter. Try to make sure the professor is aware of who you are, what your interests are and understands what you are applying for.

A letter of recommendation should focus on your key knowledge, skills, and abilities. Don't spend your time inflating your letter of recommendation with excessive positive tones, as this is generally overlooked by admission committees.

Some universities prefer to receive the recommendation letters together with the rest of the application, while some would rather get them separately, sent directly by the professor who recommends you. It is a usual practice that the envelopes are signed by the professor over the lid, in such a way that one cannot open the envelope without deteriorating the lid. In order to increase the confidence the admission committees put in the letters when you have to send them together with the rest of the application, we advise you to request such a signature and/or an official seal.