General Tip Sheet – Letters of Recommendation | Shaheen

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Recommendations, along with essays, are an important basis for successful applications around the world. Here are some tips that will help you secure a strong recommendation.

Chronological Checklist for the Applicant

1-2 years before deadline	Figure out whether you will need letters, who the ideal letter-writers may be, and establish (or deepen) relationships with them through involvement in research project and other interactions
Figuring out program requirements and exactly who to ask (3 months before deadline)	The letter-writer should ideally be a person who has interacted with you enough to have insights about you and is able to portray your academic and extracurricular strengths and weaknesses in a holistic manner. When choosing a recommender, your familiarity with the professor should be given priority over his/her seniority For medical school, ask recommendations from physicians or faculty members who have taught you, have supervised your research projects or have worked with you Choose your mix of letter writers – Go through program requirements through university’s website, hints from previous applicants and the application itself and figure out who the program asks for. For graduate school applications, the letter writer should ideally be a Professor of the subject area to which you are applying Most medical schools will ask for 3 letters – usually 2 science and 1 non-science. In the science category, the subjects Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math is included. A non-science letter refers to a subject falling out of this category – usually a subject from the humanities or social sciences. Find out if optional recommendations are possible – always have one extra in case one person misses the deadline
Ask for a recommendation (2-3 months before deadline)	Even If you do not plan to go to graduate school straight after graduation, ask professors for a general letter of recommendation before you leave – in case they may be unavailable to do so at a later stage Ask with the proper etiquette: Approach the recommender politely well before the deadline, and be sensitive towards his/her busy schedule. Here are sample letters requesting recommendations from professors. Sample 1, Sample 2.
Provide all supporting materials in ONE folder (Once the letter writer has given consent).	Fill in the Supporting Materials Template and email it to the recommender
Follow Up (3 weeks before the deadline)	Follow up on the progress of your recommendation – offer to help in any way, or answer questions to assist the timely completion
Reminder (1 week before the deadline)	Email to ensure that the recommendation letter is in its final phase. If the letter-writer is lagging behind schedule, a gentle reminder should be communicated.
Ensure the program has received the letter	In case you have missed the deadline, or feel it may be missed, contact the program and discuss your options.
Thank the letter writer	Thank him/her for the time and effort invested in your recommendation

While it is true that a recommendation letter is best when it is personalized, here are some generic instructions that should be followed by all letter writers to write a strong recommendation.

Tips for the Letter Writer

- When you receive a request for a recommendation, ensure that you have time, qualifications relevant to the program, and substantial interaction with the applicant. If you feel you don’t, politely decline or let him/her know of potential delays

- For graduate applicants, selectively write letters for only those with whom you’ve had ample first-hand experience, and have been personally involved with their research projects and publications

- If you consent to writing the recommendation, arrange a meeting to identify 3-4 qualities of the applicant and the program requirements. Highlight these in your letter. You may also include an extraordinary quality of the applicant, even if the program doesn’t particularly value it

- Specify all the documents and information you may require to write the letter. Ask the student to fill out the Supporting Materials Template

- Once you have the documents, begin writing. In general, the letter of recommendation should be specific, organized and not longer than 2 pages and the content is clear, truthful and supportive towards the applicant

- Tailor the letter according to each program – address the program’s committee and mention the university and program specifics in the first and last paragraph of your letter

- In the introductory paragraph, establish the relation between yourself and the applicant. Identify how, when and in what context you came to know the student

- Also, elaborate on how your overall experience allows you to see the applicant in comparison to his or her peers, or how your interaction with the applicant compares with that of your colleagues

- When providing examples of your interaction with the applicant, ensure they are concrete, specific and relevant to the program requirements.

- If there are any inconsistencies or specific weaknesses in the student’s record, address them and discuss how the candidate is tackling with his/her weaknesses

Save copies of the letter you write – students may ask for it again at a later stage