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Letters of Recommendation: A Guide for Faculty and Staff

Letters of recommendation are opportunities to advocate for Haverford students and alumni and champion for their candidacies.

While this guidance is tailored for letters of recommendation for fellowships, health professions schools, and law schools, it may also be helpful in writing letters of recommendation for graduate schools and employment opportunities as well.

Internal Campus Deadlines are Real

Please keep internal campus deadlines in mind, as they serve an important purpose.

Fellowships

Many programs require applicants to be officially nominated or endorsed by Haverford. To ensure there is adequate time for the nomination process and for the fellowship advisor to write an effective institutional endorsement letter, there is often a campus application deadline several weeks earlier than the official program deadline. Your letters are critical to this process as they provide important insight into the applicant’s candidacy that may not otherwise be gleaned from their other application materials.

Health Professions School

The Director of Pre-Professional Advising reviews confidential letters of recommendation to contextualize and effectively discuss applicants to medical and dental schools in the College's Committee Letter, which is written and provided on behalf of all Haverford applicants. With this in mind, the internal campus deadline (April 1) will allow this time-sensitive process to progress in an organized manner during each admissions cycle.

Writing an Effective Letter of Recommendation

If a student requests a letter from you, make sure you are confident discussing—using concrete examples—how the student has excelled in their academic or co-curricular interests and the qualities of theirs that distinguish them from their peers.

In addition to program or school-specific advice, our guidelines should help to ensure your letter is strong and effective.

Avoid Unconscious Bias

When writing letters, be mindful of common practices rooted in unconscious bias. Check out this resource for examples and feel free to reach out to the CCPA for additional guidance.

Program or School-Specific Advice

  • Fellowships

    Award-Specific Fellowship Recommendation Letters: Tips and Guidance

    Fellowship recommendation letters are unique in their focus and scope, and can differ from letters written for graduate school or internship/job applications. Whether you’re writing fellowship letters for the first time or need a refresher on how to tailor your letters for these types of opportunities, CCPA is available as a resource.

    In addition to the advice shared on things to emphasize in your letter for specific awards, feel free to contact Jason Chan (jchan2 [at] haverford.edu) for guidance on what fellowship programs are seeking in candidates and their materials.

    Additional Resources:

    Fulbright U.S. Student Program

    While grantees can perform a range of tasks–research, study, or teach English–at its core, the Fulbright is a cultural exchange program. As such there is a strong focus on applicants’ interest and ability to navigate different cultural contexts and engage deeply with local communities. 

    The program is also interested in applicants for whom a Fulbright experience clearly aligns with their personal and professional trajectories (i.e., not a traditional exploratory “gap year” experience).

    When possible, emphasize the following:

    • For all applicants:
      • Ability to build relationships with others from different cultural backgrounds
      • Ability to adapt to new situations and navigate challenging circumstances
      • Connection between the applicant’s grant proposal and their future goals
    • For Open Study/Research applicants:
      • Openness to global perspectives on one’s academic/research interests
      • Potential to build an international network of colleagues in one’s discipline
    • For English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) applicants:
      • Ability to communicate effectively with others from different backgrounds, age groups, skill levels, or language proficiencies
      • Capacity for creativity, flexibility, and spontaneity

    Additional Resources:

    Watson Fellowship

    The Watson Foundation’s recommendation form contains 8 questions addressing the desired qualities of a Watson Fellow, specifically “their capacity for resourcefulness, imagination, openness, and leadership … [and] their humane and effective participation in the world community.”

    When possible, emphasize the following:

    • Independence, resourcefulness, and resilience
      • Ability to successfully navigate solo travel in new and unfamiliar social and cultural contexts
    • Fit between student and proposed project
      • Extent to which the project topic is deeply meaningful to the student and their life experiences

    Additional Resources:

    Marshall, Mitchell, and Rhodes Scholarships

    While academic preparation and potential is a core component of these awards, they are much more than scholarships for graduate study. These programs are interested in applicants with a clearly-defined sense of purpose, demonstrated leadership in their communities, and strong interpersonal and ambassadorial qualities.

    When possible, emphasize the following:

    • Academic Potential
      • Fit between applicant’s academic interests, proposed program of study, and career aspirations
      • Relevance and benefit of pursuing academic interests in the UK or Ireland
    • Leadership Potential
      • Ability to mobilize and inspire others to effect change
      • Ability to initiate a project, demonstrate follow-through, and deliver results
      • Potential to make a contribution to society through their future work
    • Ambassadorial Potential
      • Strong interpersonal, communication, and teamwork skills
      • Ability to build relationships with others from different cultural backgrounds
      • Relevance or transferability of extracurricular activities to the UK/Ireland context

    Additional Resources:

    Truman Scholarship

    The Truman Foundation requests each of an applicant’s recommendation letters speak to a specific dimension of their candidacy. Be sure to confirm with the applicant which of the criteria below they would like you to address and focus the content of your letter accordingly.

    When possible, emphasize the following:

    • Leadership Abilities and Potential
      • Ability to mobilize and inspire others to effect change for the greater good (i.e., change-agent potential)
      • Ability to initiate a project, demonstrate follow-through, and deliver results
      • Potential to make a contribution to society through their future work
    • Commitment to Career in Public Service
      • Demonstrated interest in public service-related issues across academic, extracurricular, and professional activities
      • Interest in effecting change at a community or societal level through existing institutional systems
    • Intellect and Prospects for Continuing Academic Success
      • Academic preparation for graduate-level study in their field of interest
      • Fit between applicant’s academic interests, proposed graduate programs of study, and career aspirations

    Additional Resources:

    Goldwater Scholarship

    The Goldwater Foundation is interested in applicants who demonstrate strong research experience or research potential, a firm commitment to a research career, and promise of leadership in their specific discipline and the STEM field more broadly.

    When possible, emphasize the following:

    • Research Experience/Potential
      • Breadth or depth of research projects to date, including extent of contribution to team projects and degree of independent work
      • Understanding of the scientific research process and ability to “think like a scientist” (e.g., originality, insight, critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving)
    • Commitment to Research Career
      • Demonstrated interest in scientific research and scholarly activities across academic, extracurricular, and professional activities
      • Ability to think about research interests within a longer-term research agenda
    • Promise of Leadership
      • Engagement with the STEM and greater campus community beyond coursework, lab work, and direct research projects
      • Potential to make a contribution to their specific discipline or the STEM field more broadly through their future work

    Additional Resources:

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  • Law Schools

    Most law schools require two letters of recommendation and some may accept three or four letters of recommendation. The focus for law school letters of recommendation should be at least two classroom professors who know the applicants and their work well. Additional non-faculty letters of recommendation may come from internship/job supervisors, coaches, or research mentors.

    For faculty, be prepared to describe academic qualifications and intellectual ability, and for other writers, focus on the applicant’s strength as a student or professional, in a team, or leadership.

    The most helpful letters discuss the qualities described in this section through a substantive discussion of the applicant's abilities. Illustrative anecdotes and examples can be quite useful, providing a much deeper context than a general letter. The American Bar Association has identified these core skills and values as important for those wanting to pursue a legal career.

    • Ability to overcome adversity
    • Analytical skills
    • Critical thinking
    • Cross-cultural awareness
    • Intellectual curiosity
    • Leadership
    • Maturity and Professionalism
    • Moral and ethical integrity
    • Motivation
    • Positive attitude
    • Research and writing ability
    • Resourcefulness, creativity and initiative
    • Work ethic
    • Working in teams, or the ability to work with others
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  • Health Professions Schools

    Health professions schools are interested in learning more about the academic strengths, critical thinking skills, analytical and communication abilities, and personality traits which applicants possess to allow them to thrive in the healthcare field.

    Specifically, health professions schools are looking for evidence of the following core competencies. Successful health professions school applicants are encouraged to demonstrate skills and knowledge in their application, and letters of recommendation should reinforce these abilities.

    Pre-Professional Competencies

    • Capacity for Improvement
    • Cultural Competence
    • Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others
    • Oral Communication
    • Reliability and Dependability
    • Resilience and Adaptability
    • Service Orientation
    • Social Skills
    • Teamwork

    Science Competencies

    • Human Behavior
    • Living Systems

    Thinking & Reasoning Competencies

    • Critical Thinking
    • Quantitative Reasoning
    • Scientific Inquiry
    • Written Communication

    Letters of recommendation for health professions schools are generally 1-2 pages long. All letters should be submitted on official institutional letterhead with a date and your signature.

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General Guidelines

Provide specific examples that illustrate or explain the praise you offer about the applicant.
Example Consider the following to expand on this statement:
"This applicant’s final paper was impressive and easily one of the top five in the class."
  • What made the student’s paper one of the top five in the class?
  • What was it about their research, analysis, and writing skills that stood out to you?
"This applicant was an extremely engaged and active participant in class discussions."
  • Is there a specific example of how the student enhanced class discussions, or their ability to engage in academic/scholarly discourse?
"Among the dozens of students I’ve advised during my time at Haverford, this applicant’s compassion for others and their commitment to community truly stand out – I can’t think of a better candidate for this opportunity."
  • What interactions or experiences did you have with the student that made these qualities stand out?
  • How do these qualities align with the opportunity the student is applying for and thus make the student a strong fit?
Offer insight into an applicant’s experiences or activities that cannot be easily gleaned or inferred from their resume/transcript.

For example, information about course grades, GPA, or test scores should be described in context.

Example Consider the following to expand on this statement:
"This applicant has taken two of my classes–one introductory-level course and one upper-level course–and earned an ‘A’ in both."
  • How did the applicant’s academic skills and abilities evolve between the introductory and the upper-level course?
  • In what ways did they demonstrate growth as a scholar/researcher?
  • What does an “A” in this course represent and how does it compare to other students you’ve taught in the course?
"As Honor Council secretary, soccer team captain, and student representative of Haverford’s ​​Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Council, this applicant has demonstrated strong leadership skills and is highly respected among the campus community."
  • How did the student gain the respect of the campus community through their leadership in these activities? For example, is there an idea they rallied others’ support around, a conflict they successfully resolved, or a problem they mobilized others to solve?
Describe a course, program, project, initiative, or organization in the context of the applicant and their accomplishments.
Example Applicant Focused Example
"Due to Haverford’s culture of self-governance, our Students' Council is entirely student-run. In addition to allocating funds to all student organizations and appointing student representatives to institutional committees, the council works closely with campus administration to advocate for the interests and needs of the student body. As an officer of the Students' Council, this applicant has handled these responsibilities with maturity, thoughtfulness, and professionalism." "As an officer of the Students’ Council, which is entirely student-run due to Haverford’s culture of self-governance, this applicant successfully advocated for the expansion of outdoor dining and recreational spaces during the height of the pandemic. After hearing about the impact of social isolation on their peers’ mental health, the applicant collected students’ concerns, worked with fellow council members to identify solutions, and submitted a proposal to campus administration. That the applicant accomplished these tasks while also navigating the landscape of remote learning and COVID-19 speaks to their initiative, dedication, and resilience."
"This course requires students to engage in a substantial amount of reading and writing; a typical week may involve over 100 pages of reading and an analytical essay that synthesizes and critiques the texts’ main themes. Class sessions are heavily discussion-based, with a different student serving as facilitator each week, and students work in small groups on a semester-long research project that culminates in a 12- to 15-page final paper and a 20-minute class presentation. This applicant excelled in this course, demonstrating a strong command of what can be complex material; they also worked well with their classmates, turning in a cohesive and well-argued final project." “This applicant excelled in this course. Their weekly written analyses of course readings demonstrated a strong command of what can be complex material, and when leading classroom discussions, they posed insightful questions and even offered perspectives I myself had not previously considered. I also observed the applicant’s strong communication and teamwork skills through their work on a group research project. In meetings with me to discuss the group’s ideas and the group’s cohesive final presentation at the end of the semester, I found the applicant to be an active listener, a thoughtful mediator, and an engaging public speaker.”

Reasons to Politely Decline an Applicant’s Request

In an overall sense, the Haverford College community writes letters of both quality and substance to best advocate and represent our student population. It’s one of the real benefits of a small campus environment, and one that faculty and staff take very seriously. That said, there may be times when you are unable to write a letter. The following are some reasons why you should politely decline an applicant’s request:

  • You do not feel confident in your overall ability to write a positive letter based on specific experiences with the student.
  • You are unable to provide detail. A generic letter, no matter how kind, will not make a student competitive in the fellowship selection, health professions school, or law school process.
  • You are unable to meet the deadline. We have advised applicants to make requests at least 4-6 weeks in advance.