How to Write a Letter of Recommendation

The leaves are starting to change colors, pumpkin spice is back on the menu at your favorite cafe, and fall semester is well underway. For people in education that also means students will ask for letters of recommendation as part of their college applications. Many schools require at least one student letter of recommendation in college applications. So, if one of your high school students asks you to write one for them, take a minute to reflect on this as an honor. You’ve impacted their life in some way, they value your opinion, and they’re asking for your support. Our education nonprofit discusses how to write a letter of recommendation and support them in the college admissions process.

Why are Student Letters of Recommendation Important?

With so many colleges around the world switching to a test-optional admissions process, standardized test scores don’t hold the same weight they did 10 years ago. A high school student with poor test scores may still be admitted thanks to other factors, including strong recommendations from teachers or mentors.

Many college admissions offices pride themselves on a more “holistic” approach to viewing college applicants, taking more into consideration than just test scores. Personalized recommendation letters are a powerful way for admissions officers to gain insight into the different values and character traits of a given applicant.

Steps on How to Write a Recommendation Letter for a Student

Your recommendation letter can help your high school students stand out, and could mean the difference between being accepted, wait-listed, or rejected. So what should you include?

Ask for Student’s Activities and Strengths

In order for you to sing your student’s praises, you may need to do a little homework. First, as soon as they ask you to write a recommendation letter, you should ask the student for a list of their activities and accomplishments. Some listed items you may want to ask for include:

• Resume
• Academic achievements
• Extracurricular activities and accomplishments
• Volunteer activities
• Possible career paths or fields of study

Establish Your Education Credentials

In the first paragraph of your recommendation letter, you should introduce yourself by explaining your relationship with the student. Some helpful questions to answer in the letter:

• What is your name, title, and any relevant credentials (e.g., certified college counselor, etc.)?
• What is your relation to the student (e.g., student’s coach, English teacher, principal)?
• How long have you known the student?

Answering these questions within the first one or two sentences will ensure the college admissions officer knows why they should trust your letter of recommendation.

Introduce the High School Student

Introduce yourself in the first paragraph, but move on to the student as this keeps the focus on them. Similar to your introduction, you’ll want to include the student’s name and basic information. Key details to include are:

• Name of student
• Academic strengths
• Personality traits

This sets the stage for the rest of your recommendation letter. Like a standard five-paragraph essay, the introduction establishes the points you’ll make, and the body paragraphs expand on these ideas.

Be Specific About Their Accomplishments

Most high school students applying to college will be provided letters of recommendation, so you should include all their qualities that would make them successful in college. But many applicants coming from other schools are also top of their class. How can you help your student stand out?

Be specific! Specifics will prevent your recommendation letter from being too general. Many students are hard working, determined, and detail oriented, but what makes them unique? Detailing the specific ways in which your student exemplifies these qualities can make their college application that much stronger.

Show, Don’t Tell

That old writing adage is true here, too. As you provide specifics about the student, you should show them to the admissions officer, rather than just telling them. Tell a story, provide an anecdote, speak about a specific project the student worked on, and what about it made them stand out. Make sure you give specific examples that display the qualities you want to express about the student. Stories paint a more compelling picture of the student as a whole, rather than as just another resume in the pile.

Connect the Specifics to the College

Showing how the high school student is amazing is important. But give your student that extra competitive edge by showing specifically how the student would be an asset to that particular college.

This may mean doing a little research about the college:

• What does the college pride itself on?
• What specific traits does the college seem to look for in their students?
• What academic subjects are they known for? For example, is your student applying to the top engineering school in the country?
• How do they make their campus life unique?

In other words, you should do your best to understand what the college looks for in a student and where that overlaps with their skills. In doing so, you’ll be able to articulate exactly why your student should be accepted into college.

Tying Your Recommendation Letter All Together

As in an academic essay, the conclusion should remind the reader of your argument. Generally, you shouldn’t introduce any new information. Just summarize the key points you want them to remember and how they make your student the perfect fit for the college.

In your closing signature, you should include your title, the name of the institution you work for, and your contact information in case they would like to follow up with you. They probably won’t, but it’s better to be safe.

And that’s it! With the specifics you’ve included throughout your letter, hopefully you’ve proven why your perspective should be trusted and why your high school student should be accepted for admission.

Example Letter of Recommendation for Students

Dear Admissions Committee:

My name is Amanda Rhoden, and I’m the 11th-grade English teacher at American High School. It is a great pleasure to recommend Jane Smith for your undergraduate program. I taught English as a second language to Jane when she was both a freshman and sophomore. She quickly proved herself to be a hardworking and determined young lady. Of all the young scholars I have taught, she is among the brightest and most enthusiastic.

Jane is a natural-born leader. Not only was she quick to participate in class, but she also had a gift for engaging and including others in class discussions. She is a student that you could put in any group, because she is affable, approachable, and helpful. She quite literally got along with everyone. In addition to her leadership skills, her ability to analyze and evaluate text will take her far at any university. Not many students can critique Homer without breaking a sweat.

Outside of my classroom, Jane continued to contribute to our school community. She was a part of the model UN program at American High School, where she and her team would develop and deliver debates with support for their points. During her high school career at American, she was also a part of the prestigious junior and senior board. While serving her time on these grade-level boards, Jane helped organize and complete multiple fundraisers, helping raise over $50,000. She also helped with the production and creation of the senior T-shirts. Jane is an excellent teammate and collaborator, which is evident in the roles she played on the various committees while attending high school.

It’s without any hesitation that I recommend Jane Smith to be a student at your university. I can speak to her work ethic, determination, and overall positive attitude. She would be an excellent addition to any classroom and college campus. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email.

Best Regards,

Mrs. Amanda Rhoden