Write Personal Letters of Recommendation in 8 Easy Steps

Professional Development and Inspiration

It never fails. Around this time of year, senior students start quietly queuing around my door, asking, “Dr. Moore, I’m applying for a scholarship. Would you mind writing me a letter of recommendation?”

Of course, I want to help all students win scholarships and earn acceptance to their chosen college or university.

But writing a letter of recommendation can be tricky business. On one hand, you want to help students; on the other hand, you want to be honest and give each student their due, which can take a lot of time.

Because I have written more letters of recommendation than I can count, I wanted to share some of my best tips and tricks for writing a personal letter of recommendation.

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First Things First

Anytime a student asks for a letter of recommendation, I do a mental check: is this a letter I can write in good faith? 99% of the time, I am happy to endorse a student. When my gut does twinge, I say, “I’m happy to write a letter of recommendation, but I am going to have to address X. Do you want me to proceed?”

Once I have committed to writing a letter of recommendation, I ask the student to do some leg work:

When is the deadline for submitting this letter? If students ask with 72-hours of a deadline, I explain that I will still write a letter for them, but it will not be anywhere near as personal as one written with more advanced notice.
Then, I ask students to send me an email with relevant accomplishments, awards, skills, or achievements. I explain that the more detail they provide, the more personal a letter of recommendation I can write. Especially if students are applying for a scholarship, I want to make sure to highlight details relevant to the scholarship’s purpose.
Finally, I ask students how to submit the letter. Because of concerns about fraud, I do not email students a copy of a letter of recommendation. Most schools and scholarship funds have an email address, online submission form, or mailbox where I can send the letter without it ever being in the student’s hands.
In the rare case that I have to give a student a hardcopy of their letter, I sign the seal of the envelope and include that detail in the body of the letter.

Work Smarter

The first time you write a letter of recommendation, it can be overwhelming. However, as you write that first letter of recommendation, do a few things that Future You will appreciate:

First, create a template with a professional header. I have a header with my school’s seal, address, and contact information. Your school may even have approved letterhead. Save this template so you can reuse it every time a student asks for a letter of recommendation.
In that first template, take some time to get the formatting correct. Set the margins, spacing, and font on the first letter of recommendation, and then it will be ready every time thereafter. As with students submitting class work, first impressions matter, so selecting the correct header and formatting will give your letter of recommendation more weight.
Similarly, create a digital signature that you can use on letters of recommendation and similar documents. I use the same digital cursive for letters of recommendation and for signing awards certificates at the end of the year.
When you are finished with a letter of recommendation, submit your work as a .pdf. Unlike a Microsoft Word or Google Doc, a .pdf holds its formatting regardless of what device or document viewer a reviewer uses. Additionally, a .pdf can be flattened and locked to signal to reviewers that no one has tampered with the document.

A word of caution: while it is important to work smarter, writing a letter of recommendation is not the place to rely on AI. A letter of recommendation should sound personal and human. Some online software automatically detects for AI use, and it would be awful if your AI use reflected poorly on a student. (Another nasty side effect is that it could also hurt your reputation with the recipient.)

Drafting the Letter of Recommendation

No letter of recommendation needs to be longer than the front of one page. Everything–header, letter, and signature–should fit on one page. That means you probably will write three paragraphs. Here is my suggested outline:

Begin with “In my more than XX years of education, I have worked with countless remarkable students…” An opening like this builds your credibility by drawing on your years of experience. Then, write 3 sentences explaining the student’s remarkable soft skills: their leadership, warmth, integrity, etc. Be as specific as possible in all areas: for example, note a specific leadership position the student has taken on.
Then, in the second paragraph, move on to more “hard facts.” Emphasize the accomplishments or achievements that best match the university or scholarship. I often begin the second paragraph by writing, “When I met XX, they were YY, but after ZZ, they have matured to become…” a champion athlete, top-tier writer, talented researcher, etc. A structure like this emphasizes the student’s willingness to learn and grow. In this section, it’s important to follow up claims with specific details. I often find myself writing “for example” or “additionally.”
In the last paragraph, offer your full recommendation. If possible, end with the specific name of the university or scholarship. This is a small touch, but in admissions and financial aid, small touches can make a significant difference.

A Note About Language

I wouldn’t be an English teacher if I didn’t finish with a few words about language.

First, choose strong, specific words. Schools hear about “great” students all the time, so highlight characteristics like “innovation,””community ties,” and “courage.”
At the same time, don’t over promise or sensationalize. You can always write for the future: “XX is on their way to being…”
Finally, your grammar matters. A letter of recommendation only works if the recipient believes the writer to be credible, and poor grammar harms your credibility.