About the Student:
* Student's Full Name: Crucial for identification.
* Student's Email Address and Phone Number: For contacting the recommender to clarify information or answer questions.
* Program Applying For: Context for the recommendation. This might include specific majors, degrees, scholarships, or jobs.
* Dates of Association with the Student: Indicates the length and nature of the recommender's relationship with the student. This is important to establish credibility.
* Relationship to Student: Describes the recommender's role (teacher, professor, advisor, coach, employer, etc.).
About the Recommendation:
* Sections for Written Comments: This is the most crucial part. Expect to find specific prompts such as:
* Academic abilities: Grades, intellectual curiosity, work ethic, critical thinking skills, research abilities.
* Personal qualities: Character, maturity, motivation, integrity, teamwork skills, leadership potential.
* Specific examples: Illustrating the student's abilities and qualities through concrete anecdotes. This is far more effective than general statements.
* Comparison to peers: How does the student compare to others the recommender has known? (Avoid ranking unless explicitly requested.)
* Overall assessment: A summary of the recommender's overall opinion of the student and their suitability for the program.
* Recommendations for support or areas for improvement: (Sometimes included) Constructive feedback can be helpful.
* Rating Scales: Numerical or qualitative scales rating the student on various qualities (e.g., academic performance, intellectual curiosity, work ethic). These are often on a Likert scale (e.g., 1-5, strongly disagree to strongly agree).
* Overall Recommendation: A simple yes/no or a more nuanced statement about whether or not the recommender recommends the student.
* Confidentiality Statement: A statement ensuring the confidentiality of the information provided.
* Signature and Date: Confirms the authenticity and validity of the recommendation.
Optional but often included:
* Space for additional comments: Allows the recommender to add any other relevant information.
* Recommender's Contact Information: Allows the institution or program to contact the recommender with questions.
* Upload Section: Some forms might allow for attaching supporting documents like transcripts.
It is essential to carefully read the instructions provided with each specific recommendation form. The requirements and the emphasis on certain aspects will vary. Ignoring instructions can negatively impact the student's application.