Writing Strong Recommendations for Competitive Opportunities

Reviewers will be your professional colleagues throughout the country. For some awards like the Goldwater and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, reviewers will be those in your professional field. Thus, you’ll want to think about who the reviewers are as you write to guide your use of discipline-specific language.

Applicants should provide you with an updated CV/resume and a draft of their application materials. If necessary, ask the student for additional information about the opportunity and why they’re applying. You can also have a frank conversation with the applicant about your ability to write a strong letter and what you can and cannot say based on your knowledge of them. Being upfront with students about this helps them see how their application package is coming together as a whole.

The strongest letters are tailored to both the applicant and the opportunity. They explicitly discuss why the applicant is a strong candidate for the specific opportunity. Each scholarship seeks a slightly different mix of three main characteristics: academic merit, leadership, and future promise. This last criterion can vary from ambassadorial potential (Marshall Scholarship) to citizen diplomacy (Gilman and Fulbright Scholarships) to innovative scientific research (Goldwater Scholarship). Think about how the applicant exemplifies these selection criteria and include specific examples of how they do so. If you aren’t sure what the selection criteria are, reach out to our office at uaawards@erau.edu for more information.

As the recommender, your job is to tell the review panel the story of the applicant from your point of view. It can be tempting to list the best characteristics of an applicant, stating them without detail. However, using an example, story, or anecdote about how the applicant demonstrated those attributes is more effective because it helps the reader see how the applicant has demonstrated those skills. In addition, try to place the student in a larger context by comparing them to other students.

Your letter should begin with an introduction which identifies the candidate, the opportunity being applied for, and your relationship with the applicant. You should also briefly preview what is to come in the remainder of the letter. The content can be organized either chronologically or thematically, depending on your preference. The letter should conclude with a clear statement about your endorsement of the applicant for the position.

Ideally, each letter you write will be as unique as the applicant you’re writing about. You should convey your familiarity with the student, which you can do by referring to them by their first name, sharing a personal interaction you had with them, or describing how your impressions of the applicant have changed over time.

Effective use of active verbs and transitions is crucial. Transitions provide contextual clues which help reviewers understand the applicant’s path and experiences. Give praise using appropriate adjectives then back this up with examples. Avoid using hyperbole or excessive superlatives, especially if these are unsupported by specific anecdotes or stories.

Typically, letters cannot exceed two pages. In most circumstances, your letter should, at minimum, fill one page single-spaced. Strive for 1.5 pages when writing for a strong candidate and a full two pages when writing for an outstanding candidate.

Please submit your letters at least 48 hours before the deadline. This allows time for resolving any technical issues which may arise. Follow all provided instructions for submission. This includes double-checking the formatting (margins, font size, page length, use of letterhead) and any other requirements (e.g. uploading a certain file type, ensuring there’s a physical signature, etc.). Note that while many opportunities will require you to directly upload your letter to their online system, some (such as the Goldwater and Udall Scholarships) require submission of your letter to our office.

Unconscious racial and gender biases can hinder the letters of recommendation for womxn and people of color. Pay attention to the adjectives you use and how these may be used differently to evaluate people of different social groups. Research shows that recommendation letters for men are four times more likely to mention publications and are 16% longer on average than those for womxn. The same is true of letters for people of color compared to letters for white applicants. Keep this in mind as you compose your letters. For more information, see this 1 pager on avoiding gender bias in reference writing from the University of Arizona. You can also find online gender bias calculators here.