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Letters of Recommendation

From Conception to Composition

Tips on Creating Effective Letters of

Recommendation

Preview • Unique Objective of the Counselor Letter

• Information Gathering

• Conception: Capturing the Applicant’s Essence

• Writing Tips & Letter Structure

• Timeline

• Q & A - Sharing

Backlight vs. Spotlight

Counselor Recommendation Letter:

Goals and Purpose

• Tells the Applicant’s Story

• Provides Stage Lighting – not spot lighting

• Explain/Validate the Transcript

• Reinforce the Application

• Context

From the Dean’s Desk…

• Support Letter with Examples and Details

• Include Anecdotal Information and Specific

References

• Be Brief……

Necessary Ingredient:

Research on Each Student

• A defining step in composing an effective

counselor letter involves collecting input from

all interested parties!

• Issues of Who,What,When and How…

Components of Research from a

Student

• Self-Assessment/Student Survey

• Senior Year Update Form

• 1:1 Meetings

• Resume

• Personality Profile/Myers-Briggs

• Naviance Questionnaire

Self-Assessment

1. Longest, most involving.

2. Most revealing, substantial.

3. Student learns about self.

4. Core values and beliefs.

5. Personal, Educational, Activities/Interests.

6. Fleshes out resume, academic record.

7. Great Practice for the Application Process

Designing Self-Assessment Forms:

Tips & Advice

• Pull Questions off Applications

• Develop Questions that will Allow the Student

to Articulate Growth

• Use Categories

• Review and Revise

Additional Sources….

• 1:1 Teacher Meetings

• Report Card Comments

• Coaches

• Parent Survey

• Peer Reports

What Additional Information is

Needed?

Time to Write!

The Counselor Rec:

From a Reader’s Perspective

• Organization is Key

• Insure That Sections are Discernible

– Essence

– Core Strengths

– Clear Conclusion with Recommendation

• Beyond the Transcript

• Examples and Details

Capturing the “Essence” of the Student

• Opening Paragraph

• Reader’s Goals: The Roommate Test

• Difficult – find the words and phrases

• Help is on the Way - The New York Times?

The Obituaries of McG & the New

York Times

• “Stylish and compassionate prose that serves

to illuminate the lives of people.”

• “Sympathetic and kind….”

• “…descriptions of people both great and small

that are amusing and interesting with a respect

for his subjects is always palpable. It is this

combination that makes his writing so

uniquely fabulous.”

Collect Terms & Save Lines

• “…a lover of the far fetched.”

• “…capable of generating a brightly burning

spark.”

• “…embodied the hipster ideal of cool with

such determined detachment that nothing ever

really was accomplished.”

• “…was a builder of mountains.”

• “…a language maven.”

• “…an artist in the classroom, his touch was

evident in each cleverly orchestrated

discussion and role play.”

• “…his presence in a room lends authority to all

discussions.”

• “…her utter individuality and intense delivery

can leave an audience breathless.”

• “…known for his erudition, droll wit and

penchant for puns.”

The Body of the Letter:

Core Strengths

• Intellectual Abilities

• Leadership Skills

• Communication Skills

• Character & Integrity

• Initiative & Creativity

• Volunteering & Social Impact

The Heart of a Recommendation:

Candor & Examples

• Do not blow laudatory smoke rings.

• For each point of praise, take the time to illustrate this praise

• USE teacher quotes

• USE transcripts

• USE peer reports

• USE meeting notes

• Samples for Review

Transcript

1. Interpret for reader. 2. Show trends - fall to spring and 3. Frosh through senior year. 4. Show challenging curriculum. 5. Point out Honor/AP courses 6. Explain glitches. 7. Outside course work 8. Transfer from other schools 9. Be an advocate.

Conclusions

• Final Ringing Endorsement

• Close with Detail - Makes the Applicant

Special/Memorable

• Lines to Share with Committee

Samples…

• I must end by emphasizing that, when it comes to

articulating a school’s philosophical stance, when

you think about a community’s goals and

priorities, there are those who live by the

standard. And, there are those whose pursuit of

excellence is so impressive that they shape the

community. In my opinion, Kyle helped create the

very culture that we know and love at Harker. He

has my absolute highest recommendation for

admission to your university.

Samples…

• Overall, Janet is an outstanding candidate for

admission to your university. Janet will be a student

for life, someone who never stops learning and her

tremendous intelligence will certainly light up both

your classrooms and residence halls! I have every

confidence she will make an extraordinary college

student.

Final Points -

• Length

• Honor Code Violations

• Check-box/SSR

• Negative Comments

• Where does the time go?

Thank You -

• Martin Walsh

• Martinw@harker.org