Guidelines for Letters of Recommendation
(Note: Put this check-off sheet on top of your application or other materials)
- Your Name:
- Your Phone Number:
- I need this in my hand/sent by___________________________ (circle one)
- What class did you take with me---and which year?
- What grade(s) did you receive?
- Why do you want me to write this letter?
- To whom am I writing? (i.e., name of institution and, if appropriate, contact person)
The letter should be:
- given to me (the student)
- sent to the university/employer
- given to Career Center
- given to my counselor (_______________________)
- Other (explain)______________________
Please supply the following:
- A quick note explaining who I am writing to and for what purpose (e.g., "This letter is going to the dean of the College of Engineering which I must apply to separately from the university itself.")
- A clearly formatted list of those points you would like to be sure I emphasize, perhaps in order of importance so I can be sure to include the ones you want to focus on. If it is at all unclear why any of these is so important you should explain that to me--e.g., "this award/experience is of particular importance because I was the first freshman to ever be nominated...").
- A copy of their guidelines/application that will help me to best understand who I am writing to and what they might want to hear.
- A resume that is both thorough and nicely done (e.g., done on the computer in proper resume format)
- If appropriate--an envelope with sufficient postage and properly addressed
While some letters--"To whom it may concern..."--can work for more than one school, some may need separate letters in special cases. You should simply be sure to follow the guidelines above but clearly separate the different materials for schools (I recommend separate envelopes with all the stuff in each. Keep in mind that I will have dozens of letters and stacks of material to sort through and keep track of.)
NOTE: some of these things, while helpful to me, are also good exercises in reflecting on and arriving at a clearer understanding of exactly what it is you want, why you want it, and what you have done.