A recommendation letter can help a student to get admitted to college, or to even secure a job. The following article will help you to effectively write such letters.
Recommendation letters are written by a teacher or counselor on behalf of a student. The purpose of writing these letters is to help describe the student, and state the reason that shows why he is a suitable and deserving candidate.
Tips for Writing Recommendation Letters
When you are approached for writing a letter of recommendation for students, you need to ask them for providing you with the application form. You need to understand the college or the job, for which the student wants to apply, and draft your letter accordingly. The letter should be addressed in an appropriate way, especially when you need to write on a separate sheet. If you do not know the name of the person to contact, you can use ‘Dear College Admissions Representative’ or ‘Dear Sponsorship/Job Selection Committee’.
You need to introduce your creditability and relationship to the student, and need to state your position or designation, and how you know the student. In case of an application form, you need to answer all the questions honestly and thoroughly. You should state the student’s intellectual capacities, character, and leadership abilities. In the closing paragraph, mention your contact information. You can state that you are available to answer all the additional questions regarding the particular student.
After you finish writing, proofread the entire document. Make sure there are no punctuation, spellings or grammatical errors. The letter should be sealed officially with a school stamp, or unofficially with your signature and date across the envelope flap. It should be either sent directly to the college, or handed over to the student along with the other application forms. The following example will help you to draft proper recommendation letters.
Example of Recommendation Letters
| Sample Recommendation Letter for Students |
| [School/College/University Letter Head]
Name of Sender Date Name of Recipient Dear (Name of Recipient) or To Whom it May Concern, Paragraph One Paragraph Two This is a follow-up of paragraph two, where you show the written and oral communication skills of the student. You need to show that he/she is a team player, and give a valid proof to back your point. In this paragraph you write about the students personal nature. You should write how hardworking and well-disciplined he/she is with a pleasant personality. You need to show that the student is a highly motivated individual, who will not back away from taking a positive initiative. Paragraph Three Closing Statement Yours Sincerely, [Signature] Your Name |
This sample letter provides precise information regarding the students capabilities, and highlights why he/she should be admitted to higher learning programs. You should always make copies of the letter, just in case the student needs it. A typical letter should not go beyond two pages. Do not mention the students weakness, and mention the capabilities that have documented evidences. Also, do not include the students personal information like their Individual Education Program score or other similar test scores.
