The Complete Guide to Recommendation Letters for Grad School

Updated 2026/10/16

Students often ask me how to write a recommendation letter for their graduate applications, or who should write it. If you hand this to an admissions consultant, a common problem is that several letters end up with the same structure and nothing memorable in them. Some don’t even read like the recommender wrote them, which makes them look like the rest of your application essays. I hope this guide gives you a clearer direction and helps you find the right recommenders to write the strongest possible letters for you.

What Does a Good Recommendation Letter Look Like?

The recommendation letter is the only third-party input in your application, so don’t underestimate it. Admissions officers want this one document to show them how other people see you. They don’t want a repeat of the content or achievements already in your resume or SOP/PS. A good letter is written by the recommender, recommending you to the school from a third-person point of view, which is why examples matter so much. Examples help the school understand your relationship with the recommender, and past situations show the role you play on a team. A letter that only states objective facts (achievements, grades, rankings and so on) comes across as ordinary and overlaps too much with the rest of your application. It should tell stories that show the school, “through the recommender’s eyes,” how you reached those achievements and where you stand out compared with your peers.

If an admissions consultant prepares your documents, they tend to use similar letter templates for every cohort, sometimes for every student, written in the same style and phrasing. Schools reading these letters find them generic and uninspired. Sometimes two or three letters for the same student look alike, and the school concludes the student drafted them. This article shares what I know about recommendation letters and how to guide your professors or managers to write a letter that is solid and supportive.

Not Sure What a Recommendation Letter Should Cover? Start With These Questions

This section lists 10 questions that top 10 US MBA programs most often send to recommenders. MS programs usually don’t set a direction or ask specific questions, but these questions still show what schools want to see in a letter.

Of the 10 questions below, the first 6 are common recommendation questions at many top MBA programs. (MBA programs send recommenders a questionnaire, and they answer each question directly in Q&A format.)

From these you can see that schools usually want to understand a few key points: how the applicant performs compared with peers, with specific examples; the constructive feedback the recommender has given and how the applicant responded; what the recommender thinks the applicant can contribute to the school community; why the recommender believes the applicant will succeed in their career, and so on.

1. Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.
2. How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (E.g., what are the applicant’s principal strengths?)
3. How do the applicant’s performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
4. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
5. Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will meaningfully contribute to the [School X] community.
6. Please provide example(s) that illustrate why you believe this candidate will find success throughout their career.
7. [School X] has a diverse student body and values students who are inclusive and encouraging of others with differing perspectives and backgrounds. Please tell us about a time when you witnessed the candidate living these values.
8. In the [School X], we develop leaders who embody our distinctive culture’s four key principles, one of which is “confidence without attitude” or “confidence with humility”. Please comment on how the applicant reflects this [School X] value.
9. Share how you feel the applicant will contribute to the [School X] classroom and community.
10. Is there anything else we should know? Please be concise. (Optional)

Who Should Write Your Recommendation Letter?

Choose your recommenders based on these principles:

• They know you well
• They are credible in their field
• They are relevant to what you are applying for
• They have the time
• They are willing and eager to help

Make sure your recommender has the time, the willingness and the enthusiasm to write a letter that helps you. Common recommenders include professors, managers, and advisors of clubs or organizations. Try not to ask peers (for example coworkers, co-founders or classmates) to write your letters.

1. If you ask a professor, the best choice is someone whose research area relates to the program you are applying to and who knows you well. If you can, also pick a professor whose class you got a high grade in. Professors’ letters very often mention grades and class performance, so a high grade in a course closely related to your field will stand out.
2. If you have 2 or more years of full-time work experience, at least one letter should usually come from a manager or project team leader, who can describe your contributions and performance at work from their perspective.
3. If you are an entrepreneur or run a family business, you could even consider clients, suppliers or investors.

Is Email Enough When You Communicate With Your Recommender?

You can start with an email that introduces yourself: which of the professor’s courses you took or which projects you worked on with your manager, how you did (you can attach your transcript), what you learned from the course or job, and why you are applying for a master’s and where you are in the process (you can attach your resume). End with a thank-you and a request for them to be your recommender. If you know the schools well, you can even mention the qualities they like or value in applicants, so your recommender has a reference while writing.

If you want your recommender to understand you better, ask for a meeting. More personal connection always helps.

Can I Write the Recommendation Letter Myself?

Try not to ghostwrite it. Schools can tell! MBA programs in particular care a lot about what the letters say. If an admissions officer thinks the applicant wrote the letter, that is usually a red flag, and you can say goodbye to that school.

It’s best if your recommender is willing to write it themselves, and some professors refuse drafts from applicants. When you email them, I suggest you don’t offer to write a draft, so you don’t go against the professor’s wishes and leave a bad impression. Follow their lead. A professor who doesn’t know you well may ask you to write a draft or send some examples.

What Should Go Into a Recommendation Letter?

The letter should assess your achievements objectively, avoid over-the-top praise, and avoid repeating your other application documents. Different angles and assessments make a letter more credible. When it describes your key achievements and strengths, it should do so from the recommender’s perspective. The letter should also show that the recommender understands you, and ideally it can explain why you need further study.

Your recommender needs to have spent a fair amount of time with you so they can give specific examples and the letter doesn’t feel empty. Also try not to have them simply list which of your achievements they witnessed. Instead, they should use CAR (Context-Action-Result or Challenge-Action-Result) to show the full story from cause to result. If you aren’t sure what angles to take, look at the common MBA recommendation questions above and have your recommender introduce you from different angles.

What Should a Professor’s Letter Include?

Students applying to MS programs usually have at least one letter from a professor, because a professor can directly vouch for your class performance and academic ability. Besides the grade you got in that class, the letter can describe how you differ from other students (maybe you took initiative, joined class discussions or followed up with the professor after class). It can also cover your final project or performance in class, and even how you interacted with classmates or the class as a whole.

What Can a Manager’s Letter Include?

• Your working relationship: how the recommender worked with the applicant, for example which projects they collaborated on, and the applicant’s role in the company. (This is also why you shouldn’t ask the top boss to write it. They definitely won’t know your performance better than your direct manager, and a letter from the top boss will have low credibility.)
• Results and contributions: the applicant’s performance, achievements or contributions at work, such as completed projects, problems solved, revenue growth, changes they brought, innovation and problem-solving skills.
• Professional skills: the applicant’s expertise, skills and experience, and the growth the recommender saw in the applicant in that field.
• Personal qualities and work attitude: the applicant’s leadership, teamwork, communication, responsibility and reliability. The letter can also highlight the applicant’s positive attitude, ability to motivate themselves or the team, and passion for the work.
• Working with others: how the applicant works on a team and gets along with coworkers, clients or partners, including good communication and coordination skills.

How Do You Guide Your Recommender?

Talk through your shared experiences with your recommender and pick one or two examples that best support your strengths. Don’t just praise yourself or list achievements and awards; those belong on your resume. A recommendation letter should give real examples that show your strengths from a third person’s point of view, with the context and the outcome, so the school gets a concrete picture of you.

Eight Common Q&As (Questions From Instagram)

Can a Recommendation Letter Mention a Student’s Outside Competitions or Internships? (My Professor Asked Me to Draft It Myself)

A letter is usually stronger when it covers things the recommender witnessed directly. If the professor coached you for the competition, they will naturally have more to write about. A professor’s letter that talks about the applicant’s internship would look a bit odd, though. A letter from your internship manager would be much stronger.

How Do I Start Drafting My Own Recommendation Letter? What Should I Emphasize? (It’s Hard Not to Repeat My SOP.) Any Tips or Highlights That Could Help?

The advice above applies here too! First, keep the letter focused: only write about experiences you shared with the recommender. Beyond objective achievements and facts, add their subjective assessment of you and a summary of your time working together. If your recommender asks you to draft it first, ask them what they think of you and how they would assess you when you talk. That will give you a clearer direction too.

I Graduated 3 Years Ago and Wasn’t Close to Any Professors. How Do I Get Recommendation Letters?

If you don’t know your professor well, there is still time to change that! When you email a professor to ask for a letter, send them all the relevant information. Besides your resume and transcript, the email itself matters. You can explain why you want to study abroad and how you got there. Better still, set up a meeting with your recommender so they understand “you” and “your goals.” Here are a few other ways to prepare your letters:

1. Look for other academics or professionals: people in academia or your industry who have worked with you or know you can recommend you based on your professional skills, character and work achievements.
2. Extracurricular activities or research projects: if you joined relevant activities or research projects, such as academic research or a thesis project, ask the organizer or your research advisor for a letter. They can give specific details about your research or hands-on experience.
3. Community service or volunteering: if you have done relevant community work or volunteered in rural areas, ask the manager or leader of that organization or group for a letter. It shows another side of your work attitude, leadership and contributions.

Whichever route you choose, what matters is finding people who can give a specific, positive assessment and giving them enough information to write a strong letter.

But if you need a letter to prove your academic ability and potential, make sure you find the right professor to vouch for you!

I’m a Junior. Setting Aside Whether They’re Willing, How Closely Connected Should the Writer Be to Me? What About a Mentor From a Training Program?

There are no special requirements for who your recommender is. Some people worry a lot about a professor’s rank (full professor or only a lecturer, for example), but that worry is unnecessary. The best recommender is the person who has spent the most time with you and can best speak to how you work and treat people. Even a mentor from a training program is a fine choice if you spent enough time together and there are things you did during that time you want them to vouch for.

I Graduated Several Years Ago and Need a Recommendation Letter. Who Should I Ask? (I’d Rather Not Ask My Manager)

If you have worked at a company for a year or two, you should usually get at least one recommender from work. If you can’t or don’t want to ask your direct manager, that is usually the trickiest situation. One option is to look for a manager from another department or a project leader who knows you, but even then, news that you are applying to study abroad could still get around. So one approach suggested on overseas forums is to find a senior boss (more senior than your direct manager) who has already left the company and ask whether they would write for you and keep it from your coworkers for now.

If you have made up your mind to study abroad, have worked out your passion and career goals, and will be leaving sooner or later, I suggest finding a time to sit down and talk openly with your manager. Besides asking them to write a letter, promise them you will do your best to wrap things up before you leave. I believe most managers will understand and be willing to help.

My Manager Has Left the Company. Is It a Problem if They Don’t Use Their Old Company Email?

It won’t hurt you! As long as your manager explains it in the letter, it’s fine. This is a common and reasonable situation, and schools usually don’t require your recommender to be “in the same organization as you right now.” In my case, one of my letters came from a professor who was already teaching at a different university when I applied. As long as the recommender clearly explains how they know you, there is no problem.

I Usually Need Letters From 2 Teachers or Professors. Is a More Senior Title Better? Does a Letter From an Alum Help a Lot?

I’ll answer both questions together, because I think both are myths. I don’t think seniority is the point, and many schools say clearly that what matters is how well the recommender knows you. It’s the same at work: don’t go straight to the CEO. If you don’t even see them once a week, or you don’t work with them directly, a letter from the CEO won’t add much.

A letter from an alum does help, but it comes after finding “someone who knows you.” Start with recommenders who know you, and if one of them happens to be an alum, even better. Never pick a random alum you have never worked with. That gets your priorities backwards.

Should a Professor Write No More Than 10 Letters? (I Want to Apply to 15 Schools and Have 2 Professors Plus an Internship Manager)

I think it depends on whether the professor is willing. Talk with them to get a sense of how much they are willing to help. Some professors limit the number, while others are happy to send more. Ask early, so you can plan which recommenders go to which schools.

Should the Letter Be Plain Black and White, or Use the Company or School Letterhead and Format? My Professors and Managers Usually Ask Me to Write It.

Unless a school has specific rules, plain black and white is usually fine. Using your company’s or school’s standard Word template also works well.