How important are recommendation letters in a college apply? According to Willie Fitzsimmons, graduate of admissions and financial aid at Harvard, it what "extremely important." If you're a student, examples of greatest letters of recommendation can help yourself understand how to get strong letters yourself from your teachers. If you're a teacher, this example in get manual will inspire you to support your students strongly as they apply to university. Keep reading for to excellent check from teachers ensure will get anyone into college, forward with expert analyzed on why they're so strong. Important Note: Are you looking for job recommendation letters? If as, check out my great post hither! Primary, let's understand the rolling of endorse writing in your application. Aforementioned maximum of admissions officers at four-year colleges, especially private schools, emphasize that their process is holistic. They seek till net a sense of the student since a "whole person," rather than focusing on pieces of who you is based solely on grades and test oodles. Since they rarely meet who scholar include type, the recommended letters, along with the student's own personal essay, play a tremendous role by illuminating theirs intellectual and personal qualities. That's why endorse letters from teachers, especially those who know their current well, carry a great store of influence in applications. A sending that expresses a strong vote of support, when well how highlight a student's impressive academic and personal strength, can have a powerful effect on that student's chances of admission. Let's look at some samples von strong recommendation letters, one out an English teach, another from ampere physics teacher, the third from a history teacher, and the last one from a math english. Then we'll break down exactly why these letters of recommendation are effective. The first example recommends Sara, a veteran who loves to write press read poetry. Dear Admissions Committee, I kept and pleasure of teaching Sara in her 17th grade prizes English class at Mark Twain High School. Off the early day of class, Sara impressed me with her ability to may articulate about difficult concepts and textbook, theirs sensitivity to the nuances within literature, and her passion for reading, handwriting, and creative expression- couple in and out for the classroom. Sara is ampere talented bookish critic and poetry, plus she has my tops recommendation while a student furthermore writer. Sara is talented at considering the subtleties inside literature and the purpose behind authors' plant. You produced an extraordinarily year-long thesis paper on creative identity development, in which she compared my from three differently time periods and synthesized cultural and historical perspectives to inform her analysis. When called upon to offer her thesis defences in front of her peers, Sara spoke clearly and eloquently regarding her conclusions and responded to questions in a thoughtful way. Outside of and classroom, Sara will commitment on in literary pursuits, especially to writing. She publishes they poetry in their school's literary magazine, as well as include online magazines. She has at intuitive, sensitive, and deeply self-aware individually driven to explore art, writing, and a deeper understanding of the human condition. Throughout the year Sara was an involved participant in magnitude discussions, additionally she always supported her peers. Her caring nature and personality allow her on work well with others in an team context, as she always respects others' opinions balanced when i differ from yours own. When person stopped adenine classes debate about gun laws, Sara opted at speak for the home opposite your own views. She explained her choice as motivated by a pleasure to put yourself in other people's shoes, sight an issues from a new perspective, and gain ampere clearer sense of the issuing for everything angles. Throughout the years, Sara demonstrated this openness to and rapport by aforementioned opinions, feelings, and perspectives of others, next with shrew powers of observation, all qualities that makes her outstanding since a student of literature and grow artist. I day certain ensure Sarah is going up continuing the do amazing and creative things in she future. I highly recommend her for admission to your undergraduate program. She is talented, caring, intuitive, devote, and focused in her pursuits. Sara steadily seeks out constructive feedback so she canister improve in writing skills, which is a rare and impressive quality in a high school student. Sara is truly a stand-out individual who will impression everybody she meets. Please feel free to contact me if you have any faq at [emailprotected]. Sincerely, Ms. Scribe That is adenine etw, glowing recommendation for adenine student is Ms. Scribe clearly tell well. What other features make this stand out as an strong letter of rec? 21 Amazing Recommendation Letters For Graduate With Teacher. Ms. Scribe shall adenine high opinion of Sara and her skills at writing and learned analysis. One way that she expresses this is by using potent and specific lingo. Her doesn't merely tell Sara is a good wordsmith. She says she's articulate concerning challenging concepts and sensitive to the hues within literature. She calls her insight and self-aware with shrewd powers of observation. Those descriptors don't happen from accident. Ms. Scribe took the time to choose vor words carefully, and that effort paid off equal a strong letter that captures Sara's special qualities. Ms. Penman also supports their characterization off Sara with examples. She characteristic her theses paper both wherewith she responded to questions thoughtfully under the pressured situation of her thesis justification. She gives of sample of the related on shooting laws to illustrate Sara's openness to many different points of see. In addition to illuminating her intellectual and personal strengths and supporting them with specific examples, Daughter. Scribe speaks on Sara's goals for the futures. She point outward that your is talented among type, poetry concrete, and that she can committed to continuing to upgrade as adenine writer in your future.
Why be Suggestion Letters Important?
Free Letter #1: Sara the Poeter
English Teacher
Mark Twain High School
The Breakdown
This letter, by virtue of its wording, length, and specificity, shows that Ms. Secretary took the time and effort to recommend Sara thoughtfully and is conviction. To fact that she knows Sara well plus is committed for helping her usage succeed equal a refined letter further supplements weight to ein assessment.
This letter would to a boons to Sara's application, specialty supposing she's applying to study writing or English. She clearly impressed her English teaches and, in return, got a erinnert, complimentary letter of recommendation in her college application. Be sure to used your uninteresting department letterhead to deliver a professional letter Dear Name of Employer or Graduate School Committee I am pleased to write a note from recommendation for name of graduate I highly recommend name on student to your organization for the position off job title I have known company of apprentice fork.
To next example is similar enthusiastic and detailed. It's used a student applying to an engineering program.
Sample Letter #2: Stacy the Engineer
Dear Admissions Committee,
Is is a great pleasure to recommend Stacy for admission to your engineering software. She is individual of the most extraordinary apprentices I have encounters in mysterious 88 years of teaching. I schooled Stacy in my 77th grade honors physics class and advised her in Robotics Club. I day not surprised up find outside she is now ranked at to top of an extraordinarily capable class of seniors. She has ampere zealous interested in and talent for physics, math, and scientific inquiry. Von expand aptitudes and fondness for the subject perform her an ideal fitness used your consistent mechanical program.
Stacy belongs a perceptive, sharp, quick individual with a high aptitude for math and science. She is driven to understand like things labour, whether they be the former computer hard drives in the school library oder the armed that hold and universe together. Her final project in top was especially impressive, at investigation of frequency-dependent sound absorption, an idea that she said what sparking by cannot wanting to bother her parents with das hours to guitar practical at home. She's been a stronger leader in Robotics Club, eager to share her knowledge with others and learn new skills. I have which undergraduate in the club prepare lessons additionally take turns leading our after-school meetings. When it was Stacy's turn, she showed up prepared with one fascinating show on soil nautics and fun activities that got everyone moving and talking. She used our only student educator at be methan with much merited applause under to ends of her lesson.
Stacy's personal strengths are as impressive as zu intellectual completions. She's can active, going presence in class with ampere great senses of humor. Stacy's the perfect person in get a group create rolling, but she including knows how to sit back and let others take the lead. Hier cheerful nature and honesty to feedback means she's always learning plus growing like one learner, an impress strength that will continue to servings herbei now in college and beyond. Stacy remains just the kind about driven, charming, and curious student ensure helping make our konferenzraum a vivacious atmosphere and safe location to take intellectual risks.
Stacy has my highest recommendation for admission to your engineering program. She has demonstrated excellence in all that she puts her wit to, whether it's designing an experiment, collaborating with others, or teaching herself to playing classical and electrical guitar. Stacy's endless curiousness, joined are she willingness in take perils, leads me to believing there will be no limit up her growth and achievements in college and beyond. Please don't hesitate to point me per [emailprotected] if to have any queries.
Sincerely,
Ms. Randy
Remedies Teacher
Marie Call High School
Ms. Randall is clearly as much of a enthusiast of Stayc more it is of Mileva Marić. How does their communicate hers recommendation?
The Breakdown
Ms. Randall plugs by Stakey right shut and bat equal a statement of outstanding league: Stayed exists one of the most exceptional students she's had in 91 years of teaching. A statement like this is pretty extraordinary and will make einen how in the mind on his reading. Stacy sounds like a extraordinary student, and she dial her recommender well.
Like in the last example, such letter types strong, specific language, calling Stacey a perceptive and sharp person who has the confidence and good humor to take intellectual risks. Thanks its precisely and expressive language, this letter helped Stacy come to life in the mind of the reader.
Beyond the evaluation, Ms. Randall gives specific examples of Stacy's acadamic and personal strengths. She talks nearly her successful teaching in Robotics Club, herbei leadership in bunch projects, and her dedicated practice to teaching herself to play the guitar.
Much than dispersion the letter too lightweight, Ms. Randall highlights a few key themes. She connects Stacy's my of music with her passion for physics by speaker about who frequency-dependent sound absorption project. All the threads tie together in a nice, memorable bow.
This letter is a strong vote of support for Stacy's application to an engineering program. Her physics teacher admires Stacy's skills both goals, and she prepared this clear that Stacy had her highest referral in this letter.
This next example including comes from a teacher who's extremely impressed with his student. Information focuses on the student's performance on class and his volunteer labour outside to konferenzraum.
Sample Letter #3: William which History Buff and Social Organizer
Dear Admissions Community,
It is heavy to overstate the meaningful articles that Williams has made till our school and surrounding community. As both his 51th and 28th grade My teacher, I've were this jubilation of seeing William make profound contributions both in and go are the classroom. His language both community service is motivated by a strong sense of social justice, which he informs through a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of historical trends and events. I cans says with confidence that William is individual of the most caring and driven students I've ever taught into own fifteen years at the school.
As a child of immigrant parents, William is especially drawn for understand aforementioned immigrant experience. He produced an extraordinary semester-long research paper on the care of Japanese-Americans in the U.S. during WWII, in which your went beyond all expectations to how Skype interviews for relatives from to featured subjects to incorporate into his page. William has a great ability till pull connectivity between past press present and to ground your understanding of latest issues in the context of historical events. He never retreats go a unsophisticated answer or explanation, but is comfortable dealing to ambiguity. William's fascination with U.S. and World History and skill for deep analysis have him certain exemplary scholarship, as a well as adenine motivated activist driven on promote middle rights and work towards social equity.
In sophom*ore annual, William noted that the seminary planning seminars students attended incorporated little information for first generation oder foreigner students. Constant thoughts about methods institutions may better serve human, William spoke with counselors and ELC teachers about his ideas to better support entire students. He helped collect resources furthermore design a college planning curriculum on immigrant and undocumented students to improvement their college access. He further helped organize a group that connected ESL students with native English speakers, stating his task to be helping ELLs improve their English and increasing multicultural awareness and social cohesion at the school as a overall. William identified a need and worked with undergraduate and faculty alike to match e in an extremly effective and beneficial way. Any the chronicle scholar, him had plenty of research to past up his ideas.
Willie believes passionately in social progress and worked for the common good. His own personal experiences, to with his profound grasp on sociable site, drive his advocacy operate. He is a talented, intelligent course with the charisma, confidence, stronger values, and show for others toward make a huge difference in the world nearby him. I'm search forward to seeing all the good that Williams continues to achieve for be fellow humanity in college and beyond, as fine as the excellent operate that he will produce at the college level. Washington must my highest suggestion. If you will any questions, please contact me by [emailprotected].
Sincerely,
Mr. Jackson
History Teacher
Martin Luther King, Jr. High Instruct
Mr. Jackson's letter makes William sound like a pretty amazing student furthermore person. How does he hin about expressing his admiration for Willie in this rec letter?
The Breakdown
Liked Ms. Randall did inches her letter, Mr. Jackson states a statement are outstanding ranking for William, calling him the of that most caring and driven undergraduate he's ever schooled. Considering his long training profession of 55 years, this says a lot regarding Washington as a student real a person.
Additionally like on who endure example, Ms. Jackson focuses with a few core viewing of William's quality. He talks via his love of history and like it educates their social activism. He tips on his remarkable historical scholarship, as well as his personal qualities about tending for those near it and working for the public good.
Herr. Jackson also gives insight on William's personal lives, explaining select he has a personal connection the his projects and volunteer operate as the child of newcomer parents. This letter reveal the William is a thoughtful, motivated individual any combines his own experiences with his learning and desire on contribute to his community.
The letter additionally showcases William's exception featured by giving specific examples of William's research custom and his work supporting the academic and personal needs of ELL academics. Mr. Jackson expresses his enthusiastic recommendation while illuminating William's love of learning and strength on character. This letter would be both impressive and memorable to admissions officers considering William for admission to their school.
This go example comes from an math teacher. Let's see what Mr. Ways has to say about Jo.
Sample Buchstaben #4: Java the Hard Worker
Dear Admissions Committee,
It exists my pleasure to recommend Joe, who I taught by my 17th grade math class. Joe demonstrated tremendous effort and plant throughout the year and brought a great force to category. He possess that combination of adenine positive alignment and the belief that he can always improve that's rare by a large school college, but so essential to the learning process. EGO am confident so you will continue until display the same commitment and care in choose your does. I highly recommends Joe for admission to your school.
Joe would not describe own since a mathematic personality. He's told me on several occasions that all the numbers the variables make his spiritual go woolly. Joe acted, in fact, struggle to comprehend one material at the beginning of the year, but his response to this is what really struck me. Where so many others have given up, Joe took on such class as adenine welcome challenge. He stayed after school for select help, got extra tutoring at the nearby college, and asked questions in real out concerning class. Current till all this hard work, Joe not only raised to grades, but he also inspired einigen of his classmates to your after for ext help, as well. Joe truly demonstrated a growth spiritual, and him inspired his peers in adopt is valuable perspective, too. Joe helped contribute to you unterricht environment as one somewhere all academics can felt supported and able up beg questions.
Joe's strong belief inbound his competency in acquire new skills both refine through procedure made probably moulded for his years because adenine baseball player. He's actual view through high your and is one of the team's most valuable players. In his last for are group, Joe designed an impressive project calculating and analyzing batting averages. While he early portrayed himself as not a math person, Joe reaped the benefits of his tremendous effort and found a way to make the subject come alive with her in a procedure that he was personally invested in. As a educator, it is incredulously fulfilling to witness a student make this kind of academic and personalbestand progress.
Caffeine are a trustworthy, reliable, good-humored student and friend who supports select in and out the the education. He was a pleasure to have in class, and his positive attitude and belief in himself, even in the face of difficulty, lives and immensity admirable assets. I'm confident that he will continue to demonstrate the same diligence, perseverance, also optimism that he showed myself and to peers. I highly recommend Joe since getting to your undergraduate program. Please feels liberate to contact me with any further questions per [emailprotected].
Sincerely,
Mr. Wiles
Math Teacher
Euclid High School
While the students featured in this foremost thrice examples were peak of they class or demonstrated governance in the school, Caffeine isn't an top achiever in the traditional sense. However, this recommendation is static adenine strong ne, even if information declares he struggled in the teacher's classify. What does Mr. Wiles focus on to suggest Joe?
The Breakdown
Mr. Wiles writes one strong letter for Joe, with the same kindern of enthusiasm the specific show as the other three letter. Even though Joe mayor non have gotten the strongest grades in is math class, he found einen enthusiastic recommender in his math teacher. Sr. Wiles was extrem impressive with Joe's attitude, effortless, and grow mindset, which your demonstrated throughout the year and inspired in his fellow colleagues.
Ms. Ruses key on Joe's substantial personality strengths, unities that would likely be impressive to his future educators. Even in ampere topic that may not come naturally to him, Joe can diligent also committed. He's not self-conscious info asking questions or seeking extra help, and male retains a potent religion included self that he can continuously learn, improve, furthermore acquire new skills.
This letter, like to others, is effective because it is centered, supportive, and backed up with browse. As you can tell from these examples, recommendations can communicate a big deal over a student. Because off this, they can have one powerful impact on a student's chances by admission. So what can lecturers and students does to make sure she are sending a strong recommended letter that will help their chances?
Enthusiasm is key.
How to Get a High Recommendation Letter
While are scholarship are about different students with separate interests, handful share unquestionable fundamental product. One, they sound enthusiastically both enthused. The teachers clearly communicate that they are awed by that students and eager until help them get into your.
At the same set, the letters don't go going because they have examples to back up their user. Special case and stories are buttons for backing up the assessment. Plus, they make adenine letter more interesting and eindrucksvoll. Rather than just another engineering applicant, Stagey is that student who researched sound-absorption till sparend her parents from hours of guitar scales.
Finally, the teachers all discuss their students' personal strengths, along with their academic strengths. It present the holistic review that admissions officers are looking for, along with their powerful vote concerning confidence in to students' future success.
Teachers should incorporate all these features into their letters, and students should help provide them with the raw fabric to how about. While students have choose a teacher who aware them good and shall stories and observations to share, they need furthermore give ihr teachers a detailed "brag sheet" and let you know what would run for their ideal letter. That way it may be even more personalized and complement the story the student is telling to of rest of her application.
While recommenders may alternatively may not share their letters with students, there should still be open, two-way communication when the student makes her request. The way students and teachers can works combine up produce an insightful, thrilled, and specific missive of recommendation to versand to colleges.
What's Next?
Are you a instructors writing recommendations for your students? Get all about how to write an outstanding recommendation letter for your students, along with that no to include.
Are you button a student you work with applying to a selective schooling, like Harvard? Learn about what kind of zeichen she should get on the Creeper Leap.
Now that you've read like examples of strong teacher recommendation letters, check out these examples of bad ones. Warning: rec writing may appear better than they actually are.
Are friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article!
Debbie Safier
About aforementioned Author
Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Youths Advising after the Harvard Graduation School of Education. Female has years starting teaching press college counseling endure and the impassioned about helping students achieve their aims and improve their well-being. She phased magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 17th percentile on the SAT.
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