Letters of Recommendation

Writing Letters of Recommendation

Stellar letters of recommendation are crucial for success. Your letter writers should know you well and be able to speak in specifics about your academic and/or leadership abilities. Be sure to build relationships with your professors, so that they can compose strong, personalized letters of recommendation.

Abide by the following tips when asking for the letters: 

• Ask your letter writers in person at least one month in advance of the due date. 
• Ensure that the recommender knows you well enough to write a compelling letter. 
• Give them useful information (e.g. previous papers you’ve written in their class, personal anecdotes about your motivations, etc.) 
• Send a friendly reminder one week before the due date.

Letters of recommendation must be sent to the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards in a sealed envelope with the recommender’s signature across the seal.

Also, see this Advice for Faculty handout outlining several helpful tips for writing good letters.