In our previous post, we shared a recent email sent by the Purdue Krannert
School of Management admissions team to potential applicants that dispels many
common letter of recommendation myths. We have pasted this email again below,
and would like to address these points so that you can ensure that your letter
of recommendation is as persuasive as possible.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Applicant,
You've tracked down your old boss or coworker, reminded them (perhaps a few
times) that you're under a deadline. Then you've collected them and sent them
in. But does our admissions team actually read all those letters?
Absolutely. In fact, they're an incredibly important part of your application.
We place a significant value on what your colleagues have to say about your
work ethic, interpersonal skills, and leadership potential.
The recommendation letter is unique because it is one of the only components
of the application that is not in direct control of the applicant. Strong
recommendation letters are written by someone who knows you well and can
articulate your strengths as well as the areas in which you can improve. We
prefer recommendation letters come from a professional (as opposed to a
personal) contact, preferably a direct supervisor. We also prefer the letters
be as detailed as possible, offering specific examples illustrating your
qualifications.
It's also important to know that we strongly discourage letters of
recommendation from anyone who does not know the applicant well - even if they
are a person of prominence. On occasion, we will call references if we have any
questions about an applicant or would like additional information about
anything written in a letter of recommendation.
As always, we are here to help. Contact us anytime with questions or to speak
with an admissions program manager.
Sincerely,
Andrae Sailes
Associate Director of Admissions
Purdue MBA & Master's Programs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Typical Question:
Letters of recommendation are not very important right? They
cannot improve my chances of being admitted, can they?
Answer:
Letters of recommendation can make a huge impact if they can convince the
admissions committee that the applicant possesses some of the key attributes
that graduate programs highly value. The email above specifically lists work
ethic, leadership and interpersonal skills as attributes that Purdue emphasizes;
but this could also include adaptability, self-confidence, creativity,
analytical and problem solving skills, among others. As the Purdue admissions
officer mentions, they prefer to hear real life examples that can give them a
clearer picture about the applicant's performance and talents. Does this mean
that the recommender should provide 6-7 stories to prove that the applicant
possesses 6-7 different strengths? Of course not! But if the applicant
displayed significant leadership potential and analytical ability while
leading a difficult research project, or if the applicant came up with an
incredibly creative idea to solve a problem at work, the recommender should
definitely describe this story in detail, highlighting the skills the applicant
displayed in the process.
This is why advance preparation is needed. Don't assume that your recommender
remembers the details of every project you have worked on and all of your
accomplishments as a student or employee. Do meet with the recommender, tell
them about your application strategy and remind them of your accomplishments
and the projects that you have worked on. This will ensure that your letter of
recommendation is as complete and persuasive as it can possibly be.
Typical Question:
I heard that my recommendation letter should not exceed one
page - is that true?
Answer:
There is a persistent rumor that a recommendation letter must not
exceed one page, because if it does, the admissions committee will consider
it too long, too burdensome to read, and ignore it. The Purdue email above
should dispel this myth. In that email, it emphasizes that they "prefer the
letters be as detailed as possible" Basically, if a letter was limited to one
short page, it probably would not contain much detail and certainly would lack
examples that demonstrate the applicant's abilities. Thus, tell your
recommender to feel free to exceed one page if they wish (but to follow any
formatting instructions the school has provided).
Typical Question:
I'm planning to choose a recommender with an impressive title (like my
company's CEO, who doesn't really know me) - that's the best choice right?
Answer:
No! If we had $1 for every time an applicant asked this question, we could
probably buy a luxury German sedan by now! Admissions officers at top
universities consistently indicate their preference to hear from someone who
is intimately acquainted with your professional or academic abilities. Not
only will submitting a letter of recommendation from someone who doesn't know
you well not help you application, but it could actually be detrimental, as
the admissions office will seriously question your judgment.
We hope this was helpful to all of you future applicants!
Regards,
David
--
創陞教育（Transcend Admissions Consultants）
David Johnston
Georgetown University Law Center
[email protected]
http://transcendadmissions.com/ Plan. Execute. Succeed!
--
School of Management admissions team to potential applicants that dispels many
common letter of recommendation myths. We have pasted this email again below,
and would like to address these points so that you can ensure that your letter
of recommendation is as persuasive as possible.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Applicant,
You've tracked down your old boss or coworker, reminded them (perhaps a few
times) that you're under a deadline. Then you've collected them and sent them
in. But does our admissions team actually read all those letters?
Absolutely. In fact, they're an incredibly important part of your application.
We place a significant value on what your colleagues have to say about your
work ethic, interpersonal skills, and leadership potential.
The recommendation letter is unique because it is one of the only components
of the application that is not in direct control of the applicant. Strong
recommendation letters are written by someone who knows you well and can
articulate your strengths as well as the areas in which you can improve. We
prefer recommendation letters come from a professional (as opposed to a
personal) contact, preferably a direct supervisor. We also prefer the letters
be as detailed as possible, offering specific examples illustrating your
qualifications.
It's also important to know that we strongly discourage letters of
recommendation from anyone who does not know the applicant well - even if they
are a person of prominence. On occasion, we will call references if we have any
questions about an applicant or would like additional information about
anything written in a letter of recommendation.
As always, we are here to help. Contact us anytime with questions or to speak
with an admissions program manager.
Sincerely,
Andrae Sailes
Associate Director of Admissions
Purdue MBA & Master's Programs
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Typical Question:
Letters of recommendation are not very important right? They
cannot improve my chances of being admitted, can they?
Answer:
Letters of recommendation can make a huge impact if they can convince the
admissions committee that the applicant possesses some of the key attributes
that graduate programs highly value. The email above specifically lists work
ethic, leadership and interpersonal skills as attributes that Purdue emphasizes;
but this could also include adaptability, self-confidence, creativity,
analytical and problem solving skills, among others. As the Purdue admissions
officer mentions, they prefer to hear real life examples that can give them a
clearer picture about the applicant's performance and talents. Does this mean
that the recommender should provide 6-7 stories to prove that the applicant
possesses 6-7 different strengths? Of course not! But if the applicant
displayed significant leadership potential and analytical ability while
leading a difficult research project, or if the applicant came up with an
incredibly creative idea to solve a problem at work, the recommender should
definitely describe this story in detail, highlighting the skills the applicant
displayed in the process.
This is why advance preparation is needed. Don't assume that your recommender
remembers the details of every project you have worked on and all of your
accomplishments as a student or employee. Do meet with the recommender, tell
them about your application strategy and remind them of your accomplishments
and the projects that you have worked on. This will ensure that your letter of
recommendation is as complete and persuasive as it can possibly be.
Typical Question:
I heard that my recommendation letter should not exceed one
page - is that true?
Answer:
There is a persistent rumor that a recommendation letter must not
exceed one page, because if it does, the admissions committee will consider
it too long, too burdensome to read, and ignore it. The Purdue email above
should dispel this myth. In that email, it emphasizes that they "prefer the
letters be as detailed as possible" Basically, if a letter was limited to one
short page, it probably would not contain much detail and certainly would lack
examples that demonstrate the applicant's abilities. Thus, tell your
recommender to feel free to exceed one page if they wish (but to follow any
formatting instructions the school has provided).
Typical Question:
I'm planning to choose a recommender with an impressive title (like my
company's CEO, who doesn't really know me) - that's the best choice right?
Answer:
No! If we had $1 for every time an applicant asked this question, we could
probably buy a luxury German sedan by now! Admissions officers at top
universities consistently indicate their preference to hear from someone who
is intimately acquainted with your professional or academic abilities. Not
only will submitting a letter of recommendation from someone who doesn't know
you well not help you application, but it could actually be detrimental, as
the admissions office will seriously question your judgment.
We hope this was helpful to all of you future applicants!
Regards,
David
--
創陞教育（Transcend Admissions Consultants）
David Johnston
Georgetown University Law Center
[email protected]
http://transcendadmissions.com/ Plan. Execute. Succeed!
--
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