Writing letters of recommendation

Letters of recommendation are critically important pieces of every student’s scholarship application, graduate school admissions application, or job application. Students rely heavily on faculty and staff for these recommendations that can mean the difference between selection and non-selection.

We and our students appreciate the time and effort it takes to craft a strong letter. Please consider some of these tips and tools to help ensure your letters have the impact you hope them to have within the student’s application.

• Tips for Writing Strong Letters of Recommendation
• Joe Schall’s Ten Commandments for Writing Recommendation Letters
• Joe Schall’s Writing Recommendation Letters for Students Seeking National Scholarships
• Chronicle of Higher Education article: “Reader Response Roundup: 5 Principles for Writing Effective Letters of Recommendation for Grad School Applicants”