[Department of Subject] [University Name] | [Street Address] |
[Month DD, YYYY]
[Graduate Admissions Committee]
[Program Name]
[University Name]
Re: [Applicant Full Name], applicant to the [degree] program in [field]
Dear Members of the Admissions Committee:
I am writing in support of [Applicant Name]'s application to the [degree] program in [field]. I am [your title] at [University Name], and I have known [Applicant Name] for [length of time] as [his / her / their] [instructor in course(s) / research supervisor / thesis advisor].
[Research readiness: describe the student's research experience with you or others: the question, the methods they used, what they were responsible for, and the outcome (a thesis, poster, dataset, or manuscript in preparation).]
[Analytical ability: give an example of how the student reasons through a problem, handles evidence or data, and responds to criticism or unexpected results.]
[Academic evidence: summarize performance in relevant advanced courses, with specific grades, rank in class, or the quality of a paper or exam, and any independent study.]
Of the approximately [number] students I have taught or supervised at this level over [number] years, I would rank [Applicant Name] in the top [N] percent in research potential and the top [N] percent in overall academic ability.
I recommend [Applicant Name] [without reservation / strongly] for graduate study in [field]. I would be glad to discuss this recommendation; I can be reached at [email@example.edu] or [Phone].
Sincerely,
[Your Name], [Degree]
[Title]
[Department of Subject], [University Name]