Sample Letter Of Recommendation printable pdf download

Sample Letter Of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are a crucial part of graduate school applications and can easily

be a deciding factor for committees in accepting or rejecting an applicant. The purpose of the

recommendation letter is to endorse the applicant; therefore, the letter must be lucid, well-

structured, and specific.

The Makings

Structuring Your Letter

A recommendation letter that is not well-structured is a detriment to an application and

diminishes the credibility of the recommender. The structure of the recommendation letter should

be similar to an essay’s. It should include an introduction, one to three body paragraphs, and a

conclusion. Generally, the recommendation letter should not be longer than one page.

Introduction

The introduction should start with a statement of purpose. This statement should include

something along the lines of, “I am writing to you in support of [applicant’s name here]’s

application.” From there, you can summarize two or three of their strong traits to be referenced later

in the topic sentence(s) of the body paragraph(s).

Body

If you have known the applicant for a long time and can think of many qualities that you

would like to endorse, you may want to use two or three paragraphs. If there are one or two positive

trait(s) that you would prefer to highlight, you may use just one paragraph. Do not assume that the

more qualities you list, the stronger your letter will be. Pick a few strong attributes that you can back

up with good evidence. A body paragraph must begin with a topic sentence that introduces the

positive attribute that you intend to write about. The rest of the paragraph should be dedicated to

supporting evidence (one or two sentences) and introspection (two or three sentences).

Conclusion

This is the “so what?” section. Explain how the mentioned characteristics are valuable in a

potential applicant. Conclude the letter by affirming your own positive impression of the applicant

and your belief in his or her potential to succeed.

Sample Letter Of Recommendation