10 Criteria For Writing Effective Recommendation Letter

Recently I have been I reviewed few drafts of recommendation letters. Students tend to get confused while writing recommendation letters draft that will help the reference letter provider to highlight the important skills. Read more

Free – SOP and LOR Review

Free Review is not available – Click Here for more details on how to get SOP and LOR Review.

I got lot of emails from students applying to Fall 2009 requesting to suggest universities based on their profile.

Following that, I decided to provide free review of your Statement of purpose [sample sops] and Letter of Recommendation drafts [ letter of recommendation templates ]. Yes, you read it right, its free. Now going to how and whats.

How to get Free Review

You don’t have to do anything. Email me your Statement of Purpose and Letter of Recommendation draft version you have created. I will go over the document and will suggest changes and improvements that can be done.

Rules and Notes

1. Don’t include your name or any other personal details in the draft you plan to send. Just the Statement of Purpose and recommendation letter contents.
2. Delete your name, email address, phone number or any personal details
3. While sending Recommendation letter draft, same rules 1 and 2 applies.
4. Don’t include the name of the person who is going to give your reference.
5. I’m here to help you, I don’t want any of your personal details.
6. I will hold on to the copy of any draft version you provide, to use as reference in future and may upload in the Sample Sops section. If you are not comfortable with that, I will be not able to provide the review.
7. SOP’s will be uploaded only after 5 to 6 months, that will give enough time for you get admission. As I said, I might not even upload them. For instance, I have some 20+ SOP’s for Computer Science, but I have already posted few. So, Those SOPS will not be uploaded. If you send the SOP without your personal details, it will be much better.
8. Advantages – provides an opportunity to get reviewed by additional person and if you have made any big mistake which might cost you admission, I will be able to highlight and suggest alternate ways to include the same information.
9. So, why are you still waiting?

Letter of Recommendation Examples and Samples

I collected few sample recommendation letters from current students in U.S. It’s usually good idea to provide rough draft of your letter of recommendation to the professor or lecturer from whom you plan to get recommendation. Read more

Top 8 Skills in Recommendation Letter for Graduate School

Recommendation letter is one of the mandatory requirements while applying for Graduate School. Majority of the Universities require 3 recommendation letters and some schools require 2+. Some schools letter of recommendation as reference letters. I have seen schools that require students to submit the references through online form. Do. it really depends on the college you are applying for admission.

Why Recommendation Letters?

Universities use reference letters to determine their professional characters, behaviors and other skills, which will be expressed by the in the letter by their managers or professors. Some schools will provide reference letter template and will ask the students to get it filled. But, most of the schools accept the recommendation letter signed in sealed envelop.

Image Credit : pedroesimoes7

Graduate school or department admission committee will look for specific skills and traits that can convince them to give admission. Its not a bad idea to given them an outline of skills to be included. I have written about dos don’t and while writing recommendation letter.

What Skills to Highlight

There are so many skills that a person can highlight in the recommendation letter while providing reference. But, its difficult to include many traits in 1 to 2 page document. Much care has to be put in to select the skills that have to be included in the LOR. You can refer to sample recommendation letters, but all those skills will not apply exactly to you.

8 Skills in Recommendation Letter

1. Social Skills
2. Motivational Skills
3. Communication Skills (Reading, Writing and Listening)
4. Analytical Research and Quantitative Skill
5. Leadership Skills
6. Ability to overcome tough situations
7. Willingness to go extra mile
8. Volunteer Activities

Recommendation letter will not get admission, GRE Scores, Statatement of purpose (sample sops), Resume and other skills play equal role in getting admission.