rec form: student's citizenship

D_yer_Maker
Mon, 07 Jan 2008 08:03:36 +0000

I can’t say what Admission Office people look for, but in the workplace, recommendations that say “Best person ever” in every facet of their existence lack credibility. It’s difficult to regard that as reliable. Now, surely recommenders will try to puff a little. But that’s much different than deceiving prospective employers. I still expect to understand what a job applicant’s strengths and weaknesses are after reading a “good” (as in reliable and credible) recommendation.

Think about it this way. If you were asked in an interview to describe your weaknesses as a student, would you say, “I have none!” and think that you nailed that question? Recommendations should be written as evaluative tools, first and foremost. So if you’re worried that your recommendation isn’t a public relations brochure, then – if real world principles apply to boarding school recommendations – it seems like you should be very grateful for the approach your recommenders have taken.

As for the length, you may be surprised to read this from me but succinct is good. You want your application reviewers to read your file when they get to it, not roll their eyes and skim over it. Right?