How to Write Effective Letters of Recommendation for Grad School

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how to write effective letters of recommendation
for grad school
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• A recommendation letter is an essential document
  in the application package. Academic scores
  definitely play the deciding role but an
  effective and powerful letter of recommendation
  can help an applicant to get in a grad school
  even with average degrees. So, read the following
  tips on how to make your writing successful.

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• Think carefully before agreeing to be a
  recommender
• Estimate how well you know the applicant and
  whether youll be able to write something on
  her/his behalf. If youre feeling uncomfortable
  or not confident being a recommender and cant
  come up with original ideas about the candidate,
  it will definitely be much better to look for
  another recommender.

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• However, if you know very well candidates
  strengths and potential and have a strong
  professional relationship, then you should start
  writing immediately!

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• Organize your piece of writing
• An organization is a key factor to success. Start
  you letter with introducing yourself, define for
  whom youre writing this letter, to what course
  and school he/she is applying for, and how well
  you know the applicant.

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• The next step like in a statement of purpose
  engineering say about applicants scores and your
  records regarding his/her academic performance.
  Then, describe students motivation to study in
  this particular school, his/her strengths,
  achievements, abilities to think originally,
  knowledge of the chosen area of study, and so on.
  Sum up what youve said previously.

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• Gather essential information about an applicant
• Ask for guidance from a person youre writing a
  recommendation letter about. What are her motives
  to study on this particular course? What skills
  and personal qualities make her/him stand out
  from other candidates? What has she achieved and
  are most proud of?

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• Ask for additional papers
• Ask for a resume/CV as well as other supporting
  materials and use them to back up your words. Ask
  also to read a statement of intent graduate
  school to find out students motivation.

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• However, pick only relevant information if a
  student is applying for a sociology program, your
  statements about how great his/her dancing skills
  are will not convince the admission committee
  he/she is the right person for the program.

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• Highlight the best characteristics
• Write about applicants accomplishments, how
  she/he resolved difficulties at work or even
  personal life, and how this can help her to be
  successful in grad school. Think of his/her best
  traits (being a wonderful leader, or an excellent
  writer, etc).

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• Provide lots of examples
• Support your words with real examples like in an
  engineering statement of purpose. Dont just say
  how responsible the candidate is but back it up
  with demonstrative examples.

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• Use some anecdotes
• It will definitely help your letter as well as a
  student to stand out from the crowd. Coming up
  with some anecdotes will make your written piece
  more live and engaging.

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• Avoid hackneyed words
• Such words as creative, hard-working or
  responsible wont make a student a unique
  candidate. Hundreds of other applicants are
  described in their graduate school statement of
  intent with the same qualities.

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• So, watch your language and give as more details
  as you can about the candidate. Back them up with
  bright examples. Use statement of purpose
  graduate school engineering if it helps.

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• Explain why a candidate is a right person for the
  program
• Say how a student can contribute to the program.
  Give details about his/her personality which the
  admission committee wont find in a letter of
  purpose graduate school or other supporting
  materials an applicant can have plenty of
  hobbies, a great sense of humor, etc.

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• Be succinct
• The best letters of recommendation for grad
  school are usually one-page long. The admission
  committee cant allow too much time on reading
  the five-pages writing.

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• Dont forget to tell your personal information
• Provide your name, current job title, contact
  information in case the admission committee needs
  to talk to you. Also, use your school or
  companys letterhead if it possible.

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• Dont generalize
• Be as concrete as possible. The biggest failure
  while composing letters of recommendation
  graduate school is too many abstract
  generalities. The admissions are tired of it.
  Make your writing as unique as you can.

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• Its your right to let the candidate see your
  written piece or not.
• Some recommenders want to stay confidential so
  dont show letters to the applicant. Its your
  decision to make. Personal statement graduate
  school engineering is also personalized and are
  presented only to the committee. The same is
  about a recommendation letter.
• Look at this Google book for more useful tips.

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• Still need writing help?
• Then, check
• graduateschoolstatementofpurpose.org
• right away!