How to Write a Recommendation Letter? What Should You Pay Attention to When Asking Someone to Write One? | UP-STUDY Educational Center

If you want to apply for graduate school, many schools not only review the student themselves but also consider the evaluation of the student by others, which is a key factor in the admission decision. Therefore, many universities require students to submit a "recommendation letter" to allow the school to assess the student's abilities through the opinions of others. How should I prepare a recommendation letter? What small details should I pay attention to during the preparation? Can I ask someone to write a recommendation letter for me? International students, come see how you can improve your chances of admission.

What is a Recommendation Letter?

The "recommendation letter" in Chinese refers to a Recommendation Letter, or Letter of Recommendation. A recommendation letter is one of the documents required by many universities, with most requesting two or three letters, allowing the school to get a more comprehensive understanding of you and determine whether you are the type of student they want. The importance of the recommendation letter is no less than that of your transcript and personal statement. More seriously, if your character is criticized by the recommender in the letter, the school’s impression of you will be significantly reduced, greatly lowering their willingness to admit you. Therefore, choosing the right person to write your recommendation letter is an important part of the application process.

Who Should I Ask to Write My Recommendation Letter?

Since it is a "recommendation" letter, it naturally needs to be written by someone who knows you. When choosing the person to write the letter, consider the following points:

50. Is their English proficiency good?

Most overseas universities only accept recommendation letters in English. Although the content is more important than the style of writing, the person writing the letter should at least have basic English proficiency to be able to describe your accomplishments.

50. Are they familiar with you?

The person writing your recommendation letter should be familiar with you. If they are a teacher, do they know you well enough to describe the image they have of you, and can they provide examples of your actions to support this image? Someone who knows you well can write a more substantive and convincing recommendation letter.

50. Do they have a good impression of you?

The most important purpose of a recommendation letter is "recommendation." If the person cannot speak highly of you, it is better not to submit the letter to the school. The ideal recommender can clearly state your strengths, good performance, and proactive learning motivation, which will help persuade the applying school that you are their best choice.

50. Are they related to your application school?

If you ask a professor who is an alumnus of the school you are applying to, or a renowned international scholar in your field of study, the school will trust the content of the letter more, and the recommendation letter will appear more convincing, leaving a deeper impression on the interviewer.

How to Invite Someone to Write a Recommendation Letter?

Writing a recommendation letter is time-consuming and requires effort. When asking someone to help, paying attention to details and being polite is definitely beneficial. It is recommended to first send anEmail asking for their willingness,Email which can include the following information:

50. Explain your relationship with them. If the recommender is a professor, mention which courses you took with them during which academic year, and which projects you were involved in under their guidance.
50. Clearly state which school and department you are applying to.
50. Explain the format requirements for the recommendation letter, such as whether it should be in Chinese or English, whether it should be submitted electronically or as a hard copy, etc.
50. Ask if they would like you to provide a draft of the recommendation letter.
50. Provide any documents that may help them understand you better, such as your resume, transcripts, or the brochure for the department you are applying to.
50. Specify the time frame in which you hope to receive the recommendation letter. It is recommended to allow two to four weeks for the professor to reply and write the letter.

Some professors are experienced in writing recommendation letters and can write them on their own, while others may prefer you to provide a draft, which they can then polish and sign. In this case, you will need to write the recommendation letter yourself. There are several key points to consider when writing a recommendation letter that will support your application to the school.

What Should You Pay Attention to When Writing a Recommendation Letter on Someone's Behalf?

Before writing a recommendation letter on someone else's behalf, with their consent, make sure to confirm if the application school has specific formatting requirements for the recommendation letter. For example, they may require the recommender's title, an electronic signature, or the inclusion of certain content. When writing the letter, you should base it on these requirements.

As for the most important content of the recommendation letter, it should at least include the following three points:

50. Your personality traits.
50. Your academic achievements.
50. Why you are a good fit for the school and department.

For example, if you have worked as a research assistant for this professor, you may have a strong motivation to learn in the field of XX, and during the research period, you demonstrated excellent logical thinking skills. You have also conducted research on XX topics and achieved XX results. Therefore, this is why the professor highly recommends you for admission to this school. In short, the letter should focus on the recommender's observations of you and your accomplishments, explaining "why this recommender believes you are the ideal candidate for this school."

If you have been working for several years and now wish to apply for overseas graduate schools, it is recommended to prepare two types of recommendation letters: an academic recommendation letter and a professional recommendation letter. These letters should not only highlight your academic abilities but also translate your work experience into a benefit for your application to the school.

Academic Recommendation Letter: Highlight Your Academic Performance

This should be written by a university professor or a staff member within the school, ideally someone who has been your advisor, mentor, or counselor. They should clearly describe your academic performance and whether your academic abilities meet or even exceed the requirements for the targeted department.

Professional Recommendation Letter: Show Off Your Work Expertise

Many graduate schools, including MBA programs, require applicants to have work experience. In such cases, simply submitting a recommendation letter from a university professor will not highlight your professional expertise. Therefore, it is recommended for working professionals and graduate students to prepare a professional recommendation letter from their current or former supervisor. This letter should emphasize your experience working together, the projects you were responsible for, and the outstanding results you achieved.

Finally, after receiving the recommendation letter from the recommender, be sure to express your gratitude. Whether it's through an email, a phone call, or a face-to-face thank you, make sure the recommender feels your sincerity. This is important to avoid leaving a bad impression. If you later apply for other programs and ask the same person for another letter, you cannot blame them if they decline your request.

A recommendation letter is an essential part of the school application process. However, whether you're asking a professor or supervisor to write it or drafting one yourself, it is not easy to condense your highlights into a limited length. If you are a busy professional or a university student caught up in the grind of research, you might consider working with a study abroad agency. The professional consultants can help you tailor academic recommendation letters for professors and professional letters for supervisors, using the smartest approach to help you reach your application goals.

Up-Study Educational Center offers a full range of study abroad agency services. They can also help you prepare your recommendation letters from scratch and work with foreign teachers to refine the content, ensuring the letter presents your best side in authentic English to the admissions officers.

Now, make an appointment for consultation at Up-Study Educational Center and start your study abroad plan!