Application Process
• Place the student in a larger context. For example, a letter could compare the present applicant to others who have applied for similar honors in the past or who have succeeded in such competitions. If possible, the student can be compared to graduate students or professionals. Quantitative remarks and percentages may be useful: “among the three best students I have taught,” “top 5% of students in my 20 years of teaching.” The strongest comparisons have the widest reach: “among the best in my x years of teaching” is stronger than “the best in his/her section.”
• Draw on the remarks of colleagues for supporting evidence or the acknowledgement of specific strengths. Letters from professors may also draw on the comments from teaching assistants who may have worked more closely with the applicants.
What Hurts
• Letters that are too short, that fail to provide specific examples or instances of points mentioned.
• Generic letters or letters for another purpose sent without regard to the specific fellowship, course of study, or project proposed.
• Letters that merely summarize information available elsewhere in the application or that only present the student’s grade or rank in a class.
• Letters that focus too much on the context of how the writer knows the applicant (descriptions of the course or its approaches) and not sufficiently on the student and his or her accomplishments.
• Letters that consist largely of unsupported praise. Kind words that do not give committees a strong sense of how applicants have distinguished themselves are not helpful.
• Letters that damn with faint praise. It is not helpful to say that a student did what might be expected (completed all the reading assignments) or that point to qualities (punctuality, enthusiasm, presentability) not germane to the fellowship.
• Letters that focus on experiences that happened quite a few years ago. Even letters from writers with long standing relationships with the applicant need to be as current and forward-looking as possible.
• Letters that may be read as implying criticism (beware of left-handed compliments) or whose criticisms might be taken to indicate stronger reservations than stated. Letters should be honest—and honest criticism, if generously presented, can enhance the force of a letter—but committees take critical comments very seriously. It is best to be cautious when making critical remarks and to avoid any sense of indirection.
* With thanks to Mary Tolar, Deputy Secretary of the Truman Scholarship Foundation.
Tips on Formatting Letters of Recommendation
• Address letters to the individual who chairs the fellowship committee, if that information is provided, or to the committee as a whole (“Dear Marshall Scholarship Committee”).
• Make sure the letter is dated and printed on department or other appropriate letterhead.
• Letters for major fellowships are usually 1 to 2 pages single-spaced.
• Close with your signature (in a color other than black to distinguish the original from copies) and your full title or titles (e.g., “Assistant Professor of Anthropology” rather than just “Assistant Professor”).
Other Considerations
• You may want to ask your students who else is writing for them and what the other writers are likely to say. You can then provide information in your letters that will complement what is being written by others, so that together the letters will provide a more comprehensive picture of each applicant.
• If you are called upon to write letters for two or more applicants for the same fellowship, beware of using too much of the same language in each, especially if they will be read by the same committee (e.g., the same Rhodes State Committee or Marshall Regional Committee). Such repetition weakens the force of your letters. If you have questions about whether two or more students are applying through the same state or region, please contact Kate Dailinger, UK Fellowships Adviser, at katherine.dailinger@yale.edu or 203-432-8685.
• Although we encourage students to provide their recommenders with detailed information about themselves, the fellowships, and their proposed projects or courses of study, it is not ethical to request that students provide drafts of their own letters. Faculty should also beware of leaning too heavily on material provided by students for their letters, since students give much the same information to each recommender and following this material too closely can lead to letters that sound too much the same.
• If you have written a letter in collaboration with another faculty member, be mindful about how you and your colleague use subsequent versions of that letter. We want to avoid situations in which a student is represented by different letters with largely identical language from two different faculty members.
• When to say “No”:
if you feel that you cannot be emphatically positive in support of a student
if you recall little more about a student than the recorded grades
if you think that you are not the best person to write a letter
if a student approaches you in a highly unprofessional manner
if you simply do not have the time or material to write a good letter for a student.• You can help the student to consider other possible letter writers, but agreeing to write for a student whom you cannot strongly support is good for no one.
• Before meeting with students to discuss possible letters, recommend that they consult our page on Requesting a Letter of Recommendation (.doc)
• Some recommenders ask me to comment on drafts of their fellowship letters; I am happy to do so via email: katherine.dailinger@yale.edu or phone: 203-432-8685.
Letters of Recommendation for UK and Irish Scholarships
Scholarships such as the Marshall, Mitchell, and Rhodes are extremely competitive, and letters of recommendation play an important role in a student's application. If you feel that you cannot write an unequivocally supportive recommendation for the student, please decline to write a letter at all. Also, if you do not know the student well enough to write a detailed letter, or if you simply do not have the time to write a detailed letter, please decline. Students asking you for a letter should have given you information about the scholarship(s) for which they are applying, as well as copies of their personal statements, proposals of study and information about extra curricular activities. They should also have outlined, and preferably discussed with you, why they are applying for the scholarship and things they would like you to remember about them when you write your letter.
Faculty who have served on the past endorsement committees have found that it is most helpful if, wherever possible in your letter, you can give details or examples to support any claims made. Because all of these scholarships are looking for well-rounded people, we have also found it to be helpful if you can discuss a student's personal characteristics as well as his/her intellectual ability to the extent that you feel you are able.
We have also found that, unless a student is first in a class, it is often not helpful to give a class ranking. However, if a student could be said to be best, or among the best, in some particular way (the most insightful or imaginative in 15 years, for example), please do say this and follow up with a brief explanation.
Notes on references for UK universities: the adjective "quite" does not connote "very" in British usage; instead it means "somewhat." British readers often question the credibility of unrelentingly glowing (and unsubstantiated) praise; a thoughtful qualification can make for a more credible letter of support.
Writing for the Gates
The Gates/Cambridge selection process calls for two different kinds of letters. Both should emphasize the suitability of study in the selected degree program at Cambridge for this student. If you are writing a recommendation for University admission, focus on the student's academic achievement and suitability to undertake the proposed course of study. The one required recommendation for the Gates Cambridge Trust should present the broadest possible picture of the candidate including leadership potential, social commitment, and "any other factors relevant to the application. Leadership potential and a commitment to help society will be as important factors as outstanding academic merit in identifying and short listing the best candidates."
Criteria your letter should include:
• Exceptional achievement in academic studies;
• Evidence of potential to make a significant contribution to chosen profession;
• Potential to assert leadership in addressing global problems relating to learning, technology, health, and social equity (Gates Foundation's priorities).
You can find further information about the Gates, including profiles of current and past winners, at: www.gates.scholarships.cam.ac.uk
Writing for the Marshall
(NB: the Marshall online application systems will not accept letters longer than 1000 words)
The most helpful letters address not only the applicant's intellectual and professional promise but also his or her potential to perform well in a program in the UK, where students are not likely to find as much support, encouragement, or on-going academic feedback as they have at Yale. The Marshall Scholarships are intended to foster good relations between the US and the UK, and its Scholars are expected to be good ambassadors to the UK and to represent the UK well in the US. The scholarship is intended to be for people who will be leaders in their fields. To the extent that you can comment on specific attributes of the candidate that are relevant to these considerations, please do so.
Criteria your letter should address include:
• Distinction of intellect and character as evidenced by both a student's scholastic attainments and by his or her other activities or achievements;
• Adequate preparation for the proposed course of study, particularly upper-level course work, and demonstrated strength in a major field;
• Ability to play an active part in the life of a United Kingdom university, and the potential to make a significant contribution to his or her own society.
The recommender, especially if s/he is the Preferred Recommender, should know the candidate well, believe s/he is truly exceptional, be willing and able to write an outstanding letter (of 750 to 1000 words), and be able to testify to one or more specific experiences of outstanding accomplishment or performance by the candidate.
In sum, a strong letter will:
• Explain why the student stands out above others and why you have confidence in his/her personal and professional promise;
• Offer specific support for the appropriateness of the applicant's UK academic program and why he/she should study in the UK;
• Present your assessment of the student's character and what you know about the esteem in which others hold the student;
• Include detail about your personal connection with the student and his or her contribution to this relationship.
You can find further information about the Marshall, including profiles of current and past winners, at: www.marshallscholarship.org
Writing for the Mitchell
The mission of the Mitchell scholarship is "to educate future American leaders about the island of Ireland and to provide tomorrow's leaders with an understanding about, an interest in, and an affinity with, the island from which 44 million Americans claim descent." By tomorrow's leaders, the US-Ireland Alliance means not only political leaders, but also anyone who is likely to be a leader in his or her field. Mitchell Scholars are expected to be outstanding cultural ambassadors to Ireland, and it should also be clear that the applicant has the potential to perform well in his or her chosen Irish program of study, knowing that students are unlikely to find as much support, encouragement, or on-going academic feedback in an Irish university as they have at Yale. Mitchell Scholars do a lot as a group, and because there are only twelve of them each year, a student's ability to contribute as a member of a team is particularly important. At the same time, potential Mitchell Scholars must also be independent and able to fend for themselves, since each is likely to be one of only two awardees placed at a particular Irish university. Lastly, students with interests in Irish-European-US relationships and making people-to-people connections across borders have an advantage in the selection process. To the extent that you can comment on specific attributes of the candidate that are relevant to these considerations, please do so.
Criteria your letter should address include:
• Demonstrated record of intellectual distinction, leadership, and extra-curricular activity, indicating a strong potential for future leadership and contribution to society;
• Honesty, fairness, and unselfish service to others;
• Strong preparation for the proposed course of study.
The recommender should know the candidate well, believe she or he is truly exceptional, be willing and able to write an outstanding 1½ -2 page letter, and be able to testify to one or more specific experiences of outstanding accomplishment or performance by the candidate.
You can find further information about the Mitchell, including profiles of current and past winners, at: www.us-irelandalliance.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=34
Writing for the Rhodes
As one Rhodes Selection Committee chair puts it, "We are looking for students who exhibit well-rounded excellence with a 'bulge'-some distinctive quality that really stands out from the many other excellent applicants." Thus, the most helpful letters provide detail not only about the applicant's general intellectual achievements but also what makes him or her a genuinely remarkable individual. Rhodes Scholars are expected to be good ambassadors to the UK and to represent the UK well in the US. The scholarship is intended to be for people who will be leaders in their fields and contribute to the well-being of others. It should also be clear that the applicant has the potential to perform well in his or her chosen program at Oxford, where students are unlikely to find as much support, encouragement, or on-going academic feedback as they have at Yale. To the extent that you can comment on specific attributes of the candidate that are relevant to these considerations, please do so.
Criteria your letter should address include:
• Proven intellectual and academic achievement of the highest standard;
• Integrity of character, and demonstrated interest in and respect for his or her fellow beings;
• The ability to lead, and the energy to use his or her talents to the full.
Rhodes Scholarship Committees are especially respectful of letters that are both glowing and genuine, with concrete evidence to support the writer's assertions about the applicant. Since committees may be skeptical of letters that are too effusive or unqualified in their praise, recommenders are encouraged to take a forthright tone.
Thus, a strong letter will:
• Address only the criteria most relevant to your relationship with the student;
• Explain the significance of the student's particular achievements, beyond "just the facts";
• Where possible, speak to the applicant's strengths in applying for the particular Oxford course of study;
• Present the student as a prospective leader, one whose influence will extend beyond the professional realm;
• Where possible, offer concrete examples of altruism, activism, and service to others;
• Offer evidence that the applicant has the physical vigor and emotional resiliency to take advantage of opportunities offered and adapt resourcefully to unexpected circumstances;
• Not hesitate to mention areas in which there is potential for growth
The recommender should know the candidate well, believe she or he is truly exceptional, be willing and able to write an outstanding 1½ -2 page letter, and be able to testify to one or more specific experiences of outstanding accomplishment or performance by the candidate.
You can find further information about the Rhodes, including profiles of current and past winners, at: www.rhodesscholar.org
