What is a Recommendation Letter?
As part of the application procedure every University will require you to send 2 or 3 recommendation letters. These letters are recommendations from teacher's/ professor's who have taught you at school/ college. This letter reflects the student's academic potential and ability to successfully complete the degree at the respective School/ College. If you are an MBA student with work experience and employer's recommendation will be required. It is one of the several facets to your application process, for gaining admission and financial aid. All these factors will add up while the admissions committee is reviewing your papers.
A Recommendation Form is generally mailed to you along with your application package, which the university would require your recommender to fill. Each university has a different format for the recommendation form. Since each university has a set format for the recommendation form, your recommenders may find it tedious to fill out all the recommendation forms, hence they may give you a recommendation letter on the institution or personal letterhead.
The recommendation letter is a confidential document written by the teacher/ professor. The letter is not supposed to be discussed with the student. Your concern should be whether the recommender would write a positive recommendation for you. If yes, then you can approach her for a recommendation.
The recommendation letters must be Confidential. You must ensure that
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| The recommendation letter is typed on the institution/ teacher's letterhead |
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| Each copy of the letter has the recommender's signature in ORIGINAL |
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| The letter is enclosed in an envelope that is sealed (i.e. glued shut) |
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| The recommender has signed across the flap of the sealed envelope |
For each of your recommenders', you must have 15 copies of the recommendation letter duly signed and sealed in envelopes.
What Kind of Information Is Included?
The content of a recommendation depends on the type of program to which you are applying, and the format used.
The type of degree program to which you are applying will make a difference in what your reference is asked to say about you. Your references may be asked to comment generally on your academic ability or specifically on your performance in coursework in a particular field. They may be asked to comment on your participation in class as well as your performance on exams or papers.
A highly research-oriented program will want to know primarily about your skills as a researcher. If you are applying for graduate study in an helping profession like counseling, your references may be asked to comment on your interpersonal skills. If you are applying for graduate training in a profession, e.g. Business, Education or Nursing, your references may be asked to comment on your work in the field.
Some programs have a form which they ask your references to fill out, answering short answer type questions, or asking your references to rank you among the students they have taught. Other programs ask for the same information in an actual letter format. Some programs combine the two they ask your reference to fill out a form, and invite them to make general comments in letter form.