Why Recommendation Letters Matter More Than Students Realise

To get the best letter of recommendation, you have to write it yourself.The best letter of recommendation is written by you.

The importance of Recommendation Letters that Students May Not Understand

Admissions committees will only assess a student's academic performance using external comments, in the form of letters of recommendation. Grades and test scores demonstrate results, while recommendations articulate what a student has done to achieve these results, how he or she thinks, and how he or she is similar and different than others.

Recommendation letters should not be used in a generic sense since there are significant differences in expectations across countries and across levels of study.

The Admissions Committees' Reading of the Recommendation Letter

Recommendation letters are read in a fast and relative manner by admissions officers. They are not seeking enthusiasm, merely proof.

The best letters are:

Specific examples of intellectual engagement or growth

Comparative language (placing the student among peers)

Very good linkage to the chosen subject/ programme.

Very vague positive letters do not tend to be very helpful. It's possible to be polite, supportive and at the same time ineffective in a recommendation.

Selecting the appropriate recommenders

It is not a different principle in every part of the country, but clarity of role is more important than quantity. Admissions committees like to see a few letters that each offer a unique perspective rather than many letters that tell the same thing.

The recommenders' letters should always be the main components of the set. Any recommender outside the school community can enhance a report only if they can offer information that shows intellectual interest, the skills of research or extended project work, which is not evident in the classroom.

Help Recommenders write good letters.

Even seasoned teachers are unable to write good letters without context. If students do not give any guidance, they are likely to be given generic endorsements.

Recommender should receive:

A brief description of academic interests and goals.

Provide a reference to key projects, research or subject engagement.

Identify degree programmes and universities to target.Identify degree programmes and universities to target.

Define deadlines and requirements for submissions

Having a draft of the personal statement to share can help to be sure you're aligned without scripting content.

Making Recommendations a Strategic Asset

Recommendation letters are the fruit of good planning and judicious decision-making. Recommendations that are made with expectations in mind and backed up with the context, serve to strengthen the academic credibility of the program, not just meet the requirement.

At Flyers Academy, we teach students how to design recommendation strategies that are coherent, meaningful, and convey academic narratives appropriate for the country, the degree level, and for each individual letter.