Recommendation Letter Writing: Tips from Readers

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Recommendation Letter WritingTips from Readers

• Diane Kanney, Director of Admission, Lake Forest
  College
• Lori Greene, Director of Undergraduate Admission,
  Loyola University Chicago
• Shannon Kennedy, Assistant Director of Admission,
  Northwestern University
• Jennifer Motzer, Assistant Director of Admission,
  Lake Forest College

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Our Expertise Reading

• Collectively review nearly 3,000applications
• 1-2 letters per application
• Were the reading experts, not the writers!

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Suggested Letter Format

• The Student Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion

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The Introduction

• Address letter to specific person, if possible
• 1-3 sentences
• Introduces you the student
• Identifies your relationship
• Demonstrates the context

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The Body of the Letter

• Demonstrates your relationship
• Indicates the students strengths
• Broadens our perspective
• Statements that work

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Demonstrate your Relationship

• Answer the following questions

How do you know the student? How long have you
known the student? In what context do you know
the student?
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Strengths of the Student

• Items we want to learn more about
• Intellectual ability/curiosity
• Classroom demeanor/performance
• Considerations of the student as a thinker
• Leadership ability
• Initiative
• Work ethic
• Communication skills (verbal written)

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Strengths of the Student

• Commentary on strength of curriculum
• Personality/Character
• Comments on grade trend
• Community/school involvement (above beyond
  whats required)

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Strengths of the Student

• Items we frequently learn about and
• are less interested in
• Athletic ability
• Focus of parental involvement vs. focus on the
  student
• GPA, rank, test scores
• no restatement is necessary, but specific
• or new information is helpful

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Broaden our Perspective

• How does the student feel about
• our college?
• What can you tell us that
• we cant read on a transcript?
• What is the student passionate about?
• Family impact on academic performance?

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Statements that Work

• Shelley is hard-working, diligent and a very
  nice young lady who I can count on in class
• Vs.
• Shelley is quick to recognize when she needs
  help and is not afraid to ask. She is also quick
  to help others, and this year will be my peer
  tutor for students in Pre-Calculus

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Statements that Work

• Jonathan is a leader at our school as he is
  involved in student government
• Vs.
• Jonathan is a leader at our school because he
  has a way of guiding student government meetings
  and involving all members in attendance

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The Conclusion

• Wrap up your thoughts
• Final comments on the students impact
• Mention growth needs
• Include your contact information

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Tips for your Letters

• Student specific information
• Fit to the college
• Comparative analysis
• Meet expected deadlines
• Your evaluation of the students curriculum
  matches school profile

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Tips for Your Letters

• Technical Advice
• Ideally 1 page in length
• Font no smaller than 10 point
• First, last name AND middle initial at the top of
  the page vs. buried in letter
• School letterhead
• Include your contact information
• Use the Common Application form if requested
• Keep copies for your records

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Tips for Your Letters

• Miscellaneous Advice
• Call me phrase
• Bold or italicize important information
• Ensure consistency amongst staff in reporting
  GPA, rank and college placement
• Include teachers comments

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Suggestions for New Counselors

• Request the students resume
• Request teachers comments
• Collect ongoing comments/stories
• Tell us a story about each student

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Whats Not Helpful!

• Short, uninspired or non-specific letters
• Generic letters (drop in name)
• Summary letters of GPA, class rank, etc.
• Faint or undocumented praise
• Letters from Mom Dad

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Loyola University Chicago

• Requirements
• Loyola Counselor Recommendation Form
• Letter from a College Counselor or Teacher
• Consideration
• Primarily used for only for admissions process
• May also be reviewed for specific programs
• i.e. Honors Program or certain scholarships

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Loyola University Chicago

• Letters of recommendation should..
• Identify a students strengths
• Indicate a students potential for performing
  well academically
• Provide clarification and/or explanation of what
  happened on a transcript

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Northwestern University

• Requirements
• Common Application Secondary School Report
• Usually the counselor letter is attached
• One Teacher Recommendation
• New requirement for the 09-10 year
• Consideration
• At the time of application
• May also be reviewed by other departments for
  summer readiness programs, etc.

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Northwestern University

• Holistic Admissions Process
• No weight assigned to letters
• No key word identification
• Additional letters may get less consideration
  especially if more than 3 are provided

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Lake Forest College

• Requirements
• One counselor recommendation
• One teacher recommendation
• We read all recommendations submitted!

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Lake Forest College

• Weight of recommendations
• Recommendations used for admission decisions and
  scholarships
• Use as an evaluation of a students work ethic,
  love of learning, ability to work with others and
  character.
• Rank on a scale from 1 to 5
• 1 Below average
• 2 Average
• 3 Very good
• 4 Top 10 of class
• 5 One of the best

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NACAC College Ratings The Importance of Various
Factors in the Admission Decision Fall 2007
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• Opportunity to share

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• Thank You