Tips about Letters of Recommendation

Students may ask you to provide them with a letter of recommendation for Academic Student Project (ASP), Summer Research Program (SRP), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Fellowships, Beckman Scholars Award or other opportunities for undergraduate research offered at Occidental. We thought that you might appreciate some guidance about what is expected.

Letters of support for ASP applications can be sent to us by email or hard copy and can be fairly short. ASP grants are not large grants and, because the projects are student-driven, your own involvement as a mentor may be minimal. We would like to know that you feel the project is “do-able”, has some academic merit, and that the student is someone you feel is capable of completing the project.

Letters for HHMI Fellowships, Norris Scholars or other more prestigious awards would probably be longer and should address your knowledge of the student and his/her abilities in more depth. You should address the project itself and let us know why the work is important/relevant within your field. These letters are read by multiple reviewers from within and outside Oxy. You are welcome to use our on-line recommendation form for these letters.

Letters for the Summer Research Program are particularly important because of the competitiveness of this program and because the proposals are reviewed by a committee of faculty from across the campus. You should address your knowledge of the student, your thoughts on the project and the student’s ability to work independently to a successful conclusion. Your role in the project, both in planning it, and in mentoring it during the ten week summer research program, should also be addressed. Recommendations for the SRP must be submitted using our on-line recommendation form, which permits you to attach a letter in addition to the required ratings. The SRP committee recommends that you include an explanation of your ratings in the space provided or attach a letter.

What helps:

Point to some specific examples of what the applicant has done – published an article, gave a terrific presentation, etc. – look for results. Mention titles or subjects of projects, explain why they stood out.
Make the case for why this person would be a strong candidate. The letter should avoid redundant information about GPA, class standing, etc. (unless there’s something about it not captured in the numbers). Knowing what’s unusual about the student (in areas relevant to the award) is really critical.
Give the reader some context of how you know the applicant and for what period of time the student has been known.
Put the student in perspective. Percentages sometimes help; “top 10% of students in my 50 years of teaching” when true is useful.
Give serious indication that you know the candidate personally (when possible). For example, incidents or actions that are unique to your relationship are more credible, than writing about things that are obviously on a résumé and can be repeated without verification. Comments about character from personal knowledge are also quite credible. That means the letter-writer is somewhat going out on a limb, and that means a lot.

What hurts:

Do not include boilerplate paragraphs about the department or research group unless it provides relevant context. The committee is interested in the student.
Avoid letters that tell only what grade was given in what course. Letter-writers should provide substantial information about classroom experiences.
Be honest, but be cautious about criticism. Committees take it seriously. Be fair to both the candidate and the reader.
Do not include general platitudes that the applicant is a great person and is a candidate for sainthood.
Don’t say that the letter-writer only recently met the candidate but has “heard good things” without also discussing personal impressions.

If you have any questions about a letter of recommendation you are writing for a student applying for any URC-sponsored grant, please do not hesitate to call (x1414), stop by our office (J100), or email us (urc@oxy.edu). We will be happy to help you.

Thank you for taking the time to write these letters and for the support you give our students by serving as a mentor. Occidental's Strategic Plan encourages undergraduate research as a key component of the Occidental experience. Obviously, there could be no undergraduate research at Oxy if faculty members were unwilling to give of their time and we are very proud of the high caliber of research that takes place here at Occidental.

Note: These tips are adapted from “Letters of Recommendation: What Selection Panel Members Like to See, and What Leaves Them Cold” as it appeared on The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation website: http://www.truman.gov/fac_reps/fac_reps_show.htm?cat_id=477&doc_id=247591

Undergraduate Research Center 1600 Campus Rd. Los Angeles, CA. 90041 (323) 259-1414



Occidental College
	Tips about Letters of Recommendation Students may ask you to provide them with a letter of recommendation for Academic Student Project (ASP), Summer Research Program (SRP), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Fellowships, Beckman Scholars Award or other opportunities for undergraduate research offered at Occidental. We thought that you might appreciate some guidance about what is expected. Letters of support for ASP applications can be sent to us by email or hard copy and can be fairly short. ASP grants are not large grants and, because the projects are student-driven, your own involvement as a mentor may be minimal. We would like to know that you feel the project is “do-able”, has some academic merit, and that the student is someone you feel is capable of completing the project. Letters for HHMI Fellowships, Norris Scholars or other more prestigious awards would probably be longer and should address your knowledge of the student and his/her abilities in more depth. You should address the project itself and let us know why the work is important/relevant within your field. These letters are read by multiple reviewers from within and outside Oxy. You are welcome to use our on-line recommendation form for these letters. Letters for the Summer Research Program are particularly important because of the competitiveness of this program and because the proposals are reviewed by a committee of faculty from across the campus. You should address your knowledge of the student, your thoughts on the project and the student’s ability to work independently to a successful conclusion. Your role in the project, both in planning it, and in mentoring it during the ten week summer research program, should also be addressed. Recommendations for the SRP must be submitted using our on-line recommendation form, which permits you to attach a letter in addition to the required ratings. The SRP committee recommends that you include an explanation of your ratings in the space provided or attach a letter. What helps: Point to some specific examples of what the applicant has done – published an article, gave a terrific presentation, etc. – look for results. Mention titles or subjects of projects, explain why they stood out. Make the case for why this person would be a strong candidate. The letter should avoid redundant information about GPA, class standing, etc. (unless there’s something about it not captured in the numbers). Knowing what’s unusual about the student (in areas relevant to the award) is really critical. Give the reader some context of how you know the applicant and for what period of time the student has been known. Put the student in perspective. Percentages sometimes help; “top 10% of students in my 50 years of teaching” when true is useful. Give serious indication that you know the candidate personally (when possible). For example, incidents or actions that are unique to your relationship are more credible, than writing about things that are obviously on a résumé and can be repeated without verification. Comments about character from personal knowledge are also quite credible. That means the letter-writer is somewhat going out on a limb, and that means a lot. What hurts: Do not include boilerplate paragraphs about the department or research group unless it provides relevant context. The committee is interested in the student. Avoid letters that tell only what grade was given in what course. Letter-writers should provide substantial information about classroom experiences. Be honest, but be cautious about criticism. Committees take it seriously. Be fair to both the candidate and the reader. Do not include general platitudes that the applicant is a great person and is a candidate for sainthood. Don’t say that the letter-writer only recently met the candidate but has “heard good things” without also discussing personal impressions. If you have any questions about a letter of recommendation you are writing for a student applying for any URC-sponsored grant, please do not hesitate to call (x1414), stop by our office (J100), or email us (urc@oxy.edu). We will be happy to help you. Thank you for taking the time to write these letters and for the support you give our students by serving as a mentor. Occidental's Strategic Plan encourages undergraduate research as a key component of the Occidental experience. Obviously, there could be no undergraduate research at Oxy if faculty members were unwilling to give of their time and we are very proud of the high caliber of research that takes place here at Occidental. Note: These tips are adapted from “Letters of Recommendation: What Selection Panel Members Like to See, and What Leaves Them Cold” as it appeared on The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation website: http://www.truman.gov/fac_reps/fac_reps_show.htm?cat_id=477&doc_id=247591 Undergraduate Research Center 1600 Campus Rd. Los Angeles, CA. 90041 (323) 259-1414