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Letter of Recommendation (LOR)

Recommendation : 【Study Abroad Admissions】 2023-2024 Study Abroad Admissions and Scholarships Summary


1. Overview

2. Sample Questions



1. Overview

⑴ Importance

① The more prestigious the school, the less important language scores and grades are, with recommendation letters and SOP playing a significant role in acceptance

② However, with the emergence of ChatGPT, recommendation letter content seems to be becoming standardized

⑵ Recommenders

① Recommenders can be advising professors, supervising professors, professors from classes taken, professors involved in projects or papers, or company supervisors

② There may be bonus points if recommenders are from different affiliations

③ Recommenders in the USA

○ If possible, it’s good to ask someone in the USA to write a recommendation letter: networking plays a stronger role than expected

○ Letters written by professors in the USA tend to contain strong endorsements

○ Even a formal letter of recommendation from someone in the USA is meaningful

○ Strategically securing a recommender in the USA, such as through exchange programs, is advantageous

④ Domestic professors might have less influence, but knowing them can still be helpful

⑤ Recommenders from related fields can be beneficial

⑥ Recommenders must be cautious, as overrating a poor candidate can impact their reputation

⑶ Content

① A good recommendation letter

○ Should mention top % or top ranking… postdoc-level research experience… specific figures…

○ Exaggeratedly positive wording should be requested

○ However, a story-driven letter is more powerful than just wording

② The same content is often used for multiple letters, so it’s advisable to request not to mention specific schools

③ There’s no limit on the length of a recommendation letter, which can be uploaded as a PDF or Word document

④ Sometimes, applicants draft the letter themselves

○ Or in some cases, enter it directly into the recommender’s computer

○ However, most universities, like Stanford, explicitly prohibit this

○ Be careful as it might result in a story from the applicant’s perspective, not the professor’s

⑤ If the recommender’s email is not an institutional email, a handwritten signature might be required

⑷ Procedure

Step 1. Check the required number of recommendation letters

○ Both U.S. master’s and Ph.D. programs usually require 3 letters, but up to 6 can be submitted depending on the school

○ In the UK, Ph.D. programs require 3 letters, and master’s programs require 2

○ Submitting additional letters doesn’t have much effect: often only the first 3 are evaluated on a first-come-first-serve basis

Step 2. Requesting recommendation letters

○ When asking for a letter, provide the recommender with a CV, SOP, transcript, and list of schools applied to

○ If the applicant and recommender haven’t recently worked closely, the request should be detailed and sent via email

○ Start early, as writing recommendation letters can take time

Step 3. Entering recommender information on the application page

○ Preferably use the recommender’s institutional email address

○ Using a Gmail address, for example, may require additional steps

○ Such as a handwritten signature

Waiver : Giving up the right to view the recommendation letter

○ Under The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, applicants have the right to view recommendation letters

○ However, waiving this right makes the letter seem more honest and trustworthy to the admission committee

○ Some departments don’t evaluate letters without a waiver: it’s considered a formality but doesn’t impact the requirement

○ Once the recommender submits the documents, the recommendation status changes, and a confirmation page and email are sent to both the recommender and applicant

○ Most schools prefer uploading letters into a specific system rather than sending them via email

○ Some schools allow using letter services like Interfolio’s Dossier service

○ However, [Stanford](https://biosciences.stanford.edu/how-to-apply/#:~:text=Letters%20of%20recommendation%20cannot%20be%20submitted%20via%20a%20letter%20service%20(i.e

.%20Interfolio)%2C%20mailed%2C%20emailed%2C%20or%20faxed.) explicitly prohibits the use of Interfolio

Step 4. Recommendation letter deadline

Case 1. Some schools require all recommendation letters to be submitted before accepting the application

Case 2. Applications can be submitted even if not all letters are in, and document evaluation starts shortly after

Case 3. Some schools explicitly set a specific date after the application deadline for recommendation letters

Step 5. After submitting the recommendation letters

○ Thank you mail: it’s good to send thank you emails to recommenders after application deadlines

○ If there are doubts about the letter’s content, the admission committee might contact the recommender again



2. Sample Questions

⑴ MIT

① What particularly qualifies this applicant for study at MIT?

② What are the applicant’s accomplishments in research or independent projects?

③ How does the applicant compare to other students you know who have attended MIT?

④ Can the student clearly communicate ideas in written and spoken English?

⑤ Do you have any reservations about the applicant’s ability to succeed at MIT?



Entered : 2022.10.01 23:12

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