What Constitutes A Good Letter Of Recommendation?

Other than your academic qualifications, there are many secondary factors that affect your admission. The following points will explain what we’re talking about:

1. Declaring a purpose, that is, an official way of bragging, formally.
2. Proof that the most recent level of education that you’ve completed isn’t a hoax.
3. Admission test results – how competitive are you?
4. And finally, a letter of recommendation that praises everything about you.

Colleges can’t import all aspiring international students with great grades and exceptional test results – there’s just so many of you. With so many students in a similar marks bucket, how do admissions officers decide who’s a better fit for the college?

That’s where the letter of recommendation steps in, and as the dean of Harvard, William Fitzsimmons puts it precisely, letters of recommendation are “extremely important”.

Read more about: Letter Of Recommendation for Masters

A good letter of recommendation should highlight a student’s love for learning, their passion for their field of study and not just how cooperative they are in class. A common mistake recommenders make is to use a lot of adjectives, without providing many supporting examples. It’s critical that your recommender provide examples of events that make you the superstar you are. For instance, your recommender should feel free to write about any incident that may seem to negate your patience in class, as long as it highlights your inquisition.

Admissions officers look to know you better, wholly. Not just your academic side, but your personality as well. Your goals, successes, and failures should be summed up neatly by your recommender, so as to bring out the real person that you are.

If you’re applying for MS directly after your undergrad, then they want to hear from your professors. If you’re applying with some work experience under your belt, then your recommenders should be a mix of professors and bosses. Note that admission officers want to hear from a person who has had sufficient opportunity to work with you. Resist the temptation of going for the “highest ranked” person you know, and go for professors/bosses who know you the best. For instance – if you’ve not worked with your HOD directly, and are tempted to approach him/her for a recommendation, realize that a generic letter from this HOD will hurt, rather than help, your chances.