Sample Letter of Recommendation in Education

Dear Sir or Madam:

Miss Furnival Han has left me a very deep impression for her zeal and earnest in English literature
studies. I am very glad to write this letter of recommendation for her because as her teacher and also
as director of her foreign studies college, I know very well her change from dislike and unfamiliarity to
ardent love for English literature.

I remember she was interested in economics when she first entered university because she was highly
gifted in mathematics, ranking first in college entrance examination. She was first repulsive to English
literature due to lack of understanding. But after just a semester, she soon became greatly interested
in the specialty. Though a first-year student, she soon acquired a penetrating comprehension and
stood out as one of my best undergraduates in all my years of teaching experience.

As a second-year student, guided and encouraged by teachers returning from abroad in our
department, she made up her mind to further her studies in the United States and exerted herself for
this sake. She attended many professional literature forums and even observed postgraduate
curricula. Apart from reading reference books with all earnest, she was well read in relevant Western
professional books, immensely substantiating her knowledge. This was clearly visible from her theses
and distinctively perceivable from our routine communication.

Miss Han was also a good announcer and journalist with the college broadcasting station. The
program she hosted was much to the liking of student audiences. I am proud of her performance and
amazed at her literary quality. I backed her up fully when she opted for the pedagogy specialty
according to her specialty advantage and personal features and the future trend of development in
China. I cherish great hope that such a good student would receive better education because this
would expedite the advancement of China's relevant faculty.

As a professor I greatly appreciate such an energetic and inquisitive, diligent and clever student. When
she told me her desire to study abroad, I expressed full support and encouraged her to work hard for
her goal. As college director, I hereby recommend her to you with self-pride and pledge that she will
bring your university a new refreshing atmosphere of researches. I hope you will lend her a helping
hand with her application.

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Dear Colleagues:

As the tutor for Miss Furnival Han in writing her undergraduate thesis, I greatly appreciate her for her
solid grounding professional knowledge. I found it my duty to recommend her for further studies
abroad when she asked me to do her the favor.

I began to know Miss Han when I received a commendatory letter from a privately-run school. Our
department has all along organized student service programs in a community. Her class was engaged
in a mutual aid program at a private school, and Miss Han played a vital role in the program. First of all
it was her sincere attitude that won her class the honor of serving in the program out of many class
collectives. As the program organizer, Miss Han did much investigation work prior to the inauguration
of the program. For example, she acquired information from the college leadership in advance and
distributed the workload according to practical conditions (dividing the class into different groups
according to age and according to study capacities). The program was carried out in proper order and
yielded good effects, winning unanimous good comments from both the college leadership and the
community.

Besides, Miss Han's leadership capacity is also worth mentioning. She began to assume the post of a
study committee member when she was a third-year student. Her gifted affinity and personal charms
soon won her the credit from her classmates. In less than in semester, her class leapt from the last to
the top of all classes in the same grade in terms of academic records and style of study. Thanks to its
outstanding performance, the class was appraised as the top best in study style in the whole college.
Sure enough, extracurricular management and organizing took up much of her time, but she made
proper arrangements so that she was among the best in her academic performance in her class and
she was excellent in GPA specialty above all.

When writing her Bachelor Degree thesis she told me she was greatly interested in the studies on
Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1926). I was really shocked when she asked me the startling question whether
on earth Hardy was a fatalist or not. This was because few students would ever think of raising such
an in-depth question at that time. So I encouraged her to probe deeper into the question. In between
she thumbed through many works by and about the English novelist and poet. This embraced some
highly sophisticated contents that taxed great comprehension efforts. But in defiance of all difficulties
she finished reading a dozen of very difficult books, jotting down detailed notes in the meanwhile.
Encountering hard nuts to crack, she would ask for instructions modestly and I was only too glad to
probe deep with her because it was always so pleasant to communicate with her. Her optimism makes
her very agreeable and affectionate to others. The strict logic and acumen of thought made the
process of thesis preparations in good order. Although she graduated several years ago, she shows
great respect for her teachers and comes to visit me from time to time. I also like this student very
much.

Due to limitations of research conditions in China today, I am very eager that an excellent student like
her may have the chance to study abroad and make contribution to future researches in China.

Dear Sir or Madam:

I consider it a great pleasure and an unshirkable responsibility to

recommend to you Miss Lucia Tian as a worthy candidate for your
consideration of her application for an advanced degree program orientated
in organizational sociology in your Graduate School. I am a doctor of
Political Science, an assistant professor, and a class advisor. I mainly
deliver the course of Western Political and Ideological History and Political
Science. I came to know Miss Lucia Tian when she was a freshman, thus I
have a close and overall understanding of her.

Miss Tian is a conscientious and hardworking student who has enjoyed a

great popularity and reputation in our department. With a keen craving for
new knowledge, she was most attentive in my classes and always probed
into questions together with me. Her discussions with me, her papers, and
her classroom performance, are all distinct manifestation of her exquisite
analytical skills, meticulous logic, her excellent ability to express herself
methodically and her quick-witted thinking. Miss Tian compiled an
outstanding grade of 80 in my two courses, which could be reached only by
a very few students. She performed especially well in the Social Statistics
and Approaches to Survey examinations in which she obtained the highest
mark (92) among her classmates, most of whom passed the examination
only by a small margin. And her grade surpassed that of the second top
student with 10. Thus it can be easily perceived that Miss Tian has an
outstanding ability of learning, a solid grounding in theories and resourceful
potentials to apply what she has learned to practice.

What most strongly impressed me was her performance in the university's

gymnastic team. After rigorous screening test, Miss Tian became a member
of the gymnastic team not long after her admission to the university. For all
that she had no gymnastic basis, she managed to see the three-year
arduous training through to the end by virtue of indomitable will and keen
interest in gymnastics. Therefore it was a common occurrence that she had
bruises all over the body after each training exercises. With her painstaking
efforts, Miss Tian was chosen for the gymnastic contest held at the city
level, which was a rare occasion for a newcomer with less than one year's
training experience. Unfortunately she was badly hurt in the process of
training when there was only half a month to go before the contest. This
incident led to psychological obstruction in her. Although Miss Tian kept
falling down from the apparatus, she made unremitting efforts to improve
her skills so that she was able to smoothly complete the whole set of
movements in the contest. The training in the gymnastic team also helped
to foster her fine sense of teamwork, one of the important makings for her
future success in academic studies.

The rapid development at the globe will necessarily bring about tremendous
and profound changes in the society. However, the development of
sociology in China is at a much lower speed and still lagging far behind that
of the United States, especially in the newly developing fields like
organization and social network. Under such circumstances, it is necessary
that student like Miss Tian who is full of fortitude and drive go abroad to
pursue further studies. This move not only aims at self-improvement, but
also is the urgent need of China's development. While in college, Miss Tian
has studied some courses related to sociology. Her academic preparation,
language proficiency, her persevering spirit, fine sense of teamwork and
extraordinary industry will ensure her remarkable success in her future
studies and research works at your esteemed university. I have full
confidence in her, thus I recommend her enthusiastically.

Yours Sincerely

Sample college recommendation (graduate)

To Whom It May Concern:

As Principal of George Mason High School I am delighted to recommend to you a stellar

member of our teaching staff, Mr. Samuel Cohen, and to write this letter on his behalf.
Sam has taught American History at the school for three years. He is one of our most
popular and effective instructors and has already won several teaching awards.

He came to us directly upon completion of his bachelor’s degree, but immediately settled
in as if an old pro. Sam is a master of all of the ingredients of successful teaching,
especially the ability to inspire.

This gentleman is highly professional in both dress and demeanor. To my knowledge Sam
has never come to work without both a suit and tie, more times than not a bow tie. The
majority of others at the school, both teachers and students, dress differently and lean to
more informality. Never once, however, has Sam’s manner of dress elicited the slightest
comment. Why? It is simply because Sam’s attire seems entirely natural given his
dignified comportment.

That comportment in turn is driven by Sam’s love and respect for American History. Sam
views himself as the messenger for something serious and important, and this is
reflected in the way he teaches and in the way his students respond.

Reaction to Sam’s classes has been overwhelmingly positive. So much so that more than
once it has been reported to me that study hall students have been spotted lingering
outside the door to Sam’s classroom listening to his lessons.

Sam’s impact has even been felt outside the school with the parents themselves. His
section on the importance of voting has inspired students to cajole their parents to
register to vote. Several have mentioned this to me at parent-teacher meetings. One
even called the school to have me pass on their thanks to Mr. Cohen.
The only thing that we in the school administration have ever worried about in regard to
Sam is the prospect of funding his bottled water. Sam is such a passionate and prolific
speaker that he needs a steady supply to maintain his voice. So far we have gotten a
pass on this, as students have bought it for him, including what must have been a year’s
supply on his last birthday.

It will be a sad day when we announce that Sam will be pursuing his graduate degree on
a fulltime basis. We can only hope that he keeps his promise and returns to us as soon
as the ink is dry on his new diploma.

Sincerely,

Harold W. Brown
Principal
George Mason High School

To Whom It May Concern:

As the Dean of Stonewell College, I have had the pleasure of knowing Hannah Smith for
the last four years. She has been a tremendous student and an asset to our school. I
would like to take this opportunity to recommend Hannah for your graduate program.

I feel confident that she will continue to succeed in her studies. Hannah is a dedicated
student and thus far her grades have been exemplary. In class, she has proven to be a
take-charge person who is able to successfully develop plans and implement them.

Hannah has also assisted us in our admissions office. She has successfully demonstrated
leadership ability by counseling new and prospective students. Her advice has been a
great help to these students, many of whom have taken time to share their comments
with me regarding her pleasant and encouraging attitude.

It is for these reasons that I offer high recommendations for Hannah without reservation.
Her drive and abilities will truly be an asset to your establishment. If you have any
questions regarding this recommendation, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Roger Fleming
Dean of Stonewell College

To Whom It May Concern:

Cheri Jackson is an extraordinary young woman. As her AP English Professor, I have seen many
examples of her talent and have long been impressed by her diligence and work ethic. I understand
that Cheri is applying to the undergraduate business program at your school. I would like to
recommend her for admission.

Cheri has outstanding organizational skills. She is able to successfully complete multiple tasks with
favorable results despite deadline pressure. As part of a semester project, she developed an
innovative collaborative novel with her classmates. This book is now being considered for
publication. Cheri not only headed the project, she ensured its success by demonstrating
leadership abilities that her classmates both admired and respected.

I must also make note of Cheri's exceptional academic performance. Out of a class of 150
students, Cheri graduated with honors in the top 10. Her above-average performance is a direct
result of her hard work and strong focus.
If your undergraduate business program is seeking superior candidates with a record of
achievement, Cheri is an excellent choice. She has consistently demonstrated an ability to rise to
any challenge that she must face.

To conclude, I would like to restate my strong recommendation for Cheri Jackson. If you have any
further questions regarding Cheri's ability or this recommendation, please do not hesitate to
contact me using the information on this letterhead.

Sincerely,

Professor William Dot