How to write a recommendation letter
Your letter of recommendation can make or break a student’s application, so you need to know how to write a recommendation letter. What should you include? Our guide walks through the most important components of a recommendation letter, with sample letters and tips.
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Why are recommendation letters important?
Colleges and programs use recommendation letters to make admission decisions. Undergraduate and graduate students generally need 1–3 letters of recommendation.
These letters should describe the applicant’s ability to succeed. For example, an MBA recommendation letter can include examples of analytical, leadership, or strategic skills.
What questions should I ask someone who wants a recommendation from me?
You can write stronger recommendation letters by asking the applicant questions. In addition to details like the submission deadline, ask for other application materials like their resume, transcripts, and statement of purpose. Aligning your letter with the rest of their application package can strengthen the applicant’s chances.
Components of a recommendation letter
- Introduction: Begin the letter by introducing yourself. Explain how you know the applicant and your qualifications. For example, detail the length of the applicant’s work history under your supervision and your credentials.
- Applicant Strengths: Next, list the applicant’s strengths related to the specific program. For example, admissions officials for an MBA program care about leadership abilities, while officials assessing applications for a computer science program want to know about technical skills. Tailor this section to the applicant’s program and your knowledge of their strengths.
- Specific Examples: Link the strengths with specific examples of projects, assignments, or reports. Consider incorporating examples mentioned in the statement of purpose or those that complement the applicant’s overall materials. You can structure the letter by listing a strength followed by an example or separating these sections into two paragraphs.
- Conclusion: Close the letter by recommending that the program admit the applicant.
Sample recommendation letter
What should a recommendation letter look like? The answer depends on how you know the applicant, the program that will use the letter in its admission decisions, and the applicant’s goals. For instance, if you’re the only supervisor submitting a letter, focus on professional rather than academic skills.
Use the following sample letters and tips to write a strong recommendation letter.
Recommendation Letter #1
Written from the perspective of a supervisor
My name is Penelope Brown, and I am a senior business analyst at XYZ company. I supervised Olivia Black for two years in her role as a junior business analyst. Olivia excelled in this role, receiving top marks on her annual performance reviews.
Olivia stands out for her adaptability and leadership skills. During her first year at XYZ, Olivia volunteered for a high-impact project, where she identified a pattern in internal data that helped the team implement a process improvement that improved efficiency by 5%. Olivia built on this experience by leading a quality assurance team that analyzed a complex data set. XYZ’s director of operations recognized Olivia’s contribution by naming her the top individual contributor for Q3.
In my two years supervising Olivia, I noted her clear communication, openness to feedback, and analytical skills. These abilities would make Olivia an exceptional addition to the XYZ School of Business.
Recommendation Letter #2
Written from the perspective of an instructor
I write to recommend Sean Green for the MBA program. I am an associate professor in the business school at XYZ college, where Sean took my courses on accounting analytics and business intelligence. Sean was a top student in both classes.
During these courses, Sean demonstrated exceptional analytical skills, particularly on his capstone business intelligence project, where he developed a machine learning recommendation algorithm for a client. He also served as team leader for a fraud detection project, where he showed initiative by anticipating challenges in the data collection phase and developing a collaborative solution.
Sean’s academic strengths and analytical expertise make him well-suited for the MBA program. I strongly recommend his admission.
Letter of recommendation tips
- Adapt the letter based on the program or school, emphasizing the applicant’s most relevant skills and achievements.
- Incorporate specific examples and data points, such as grades or reviews. The applicant’s resume can be a source for these examples.
- Ask the applicant for clear instructions so that your letter aligns with the rest of their application.
- Follow a standard business letter format or the recommendation form provided by the applicant. Some business schools use the Common Letter of Recommendation, for example.