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Гайд по рекомендательным письмам


(Recommendation Letter
В связи с высоко-конкурентным уровнем кандидатов,
рекомендательные письма имеют значительны вес в наших решениях
о приеме. Хорошо написанное письмо с впечатляюще
характеристикой на кандидата может сыграть огромную роль в
приеме, помимо документов и экзаменов, предоставляемых самим
кандидатом для того, чтобы претендовать на учебу в университете
Гайд включает:
- Как написать письмо?

- Заметки от Admission O cer'a (MIT).

- Brag Sheet.

- Структура письма.

- Примеры рекомендательных писем от College Essay Guy.

- Примеры рекомендательных писем от PrepScholar.

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Как написать письмо?


Зная, что хотят увидеть члены приемной комиссии в
рекомендательном письме, учителя могут писать их, принимая во
внимание следующие факты.

Сначала маленькая деталь: включите предложение о том, кого вы


рекомендуете, и кто вы по отношению к нему. Примеры:

Я с великим удовольствием предоставляю вам это рекомендательное


письмо о Карине, которой мне удостоилось преподавать уроки русского
языка в 11 классе.

Я рада написать это рекомендательное письмо о лучшей ученице за


мою карьеру Розе, которой я вела уроки русского языка на протяжении
4-х лет с 8 по 11 класс.

Прошу принять это письмо как рекомендацию Василия, моего


лучшего ученика русского языка с 9 по 11 класс.

Переходим к более неоднозначным частям письма. Соблюдая


следующие пункты можно создать эффектное письмо.

1) Меньше общих фактов, больше ключевых моментов

Крайне нежелательно перечислять лишь оценки, занятия и другие


факты, которые могут быть написаны любым человеком с копией
ученического резюме. Более того, информация о его оценках, наградах
и достижениях уже заполнена в его заявке. Личное письмо дает знать,
что ученик установил хорошую связь с учителем и сделает так же в
университете. Конечно, стоит добавить пару его достижений и занятий,
если они помогут раскрыть его личность.

При создании письма можно опираться на эти вопросы,


предоставленные университетом MIT:

• Каков контекст ваших отношени с заявителем? Если вы не знаете


заявителя хорошо и можете только написать краткое резюме,
пожалу ста, подтвердите это.

• Демонстрирует ли студент готовность идти на интеллектуальны


риск и выходить за рамки материла, предоставляемого в классе?

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• Есть ли у кандидата какие-то необычные компетенции, талант или
лидерские качества?

• Что мотивирует этого человека? Что его вдохновляет, возбуждает


его ум?

• Как соискатель взаимоде ствует с учителями? Со сверстниками?


Опишите его (её) личностные и социальные навыки.

• Что вы будете помнить больше всего об этом человеке?

• Если у вас есть знания о (ВУЗе), что заставляет вас верить, что
(ВУЗ) хорошо подходит для этого человека? Как он (она) может
вписаться в сообщество (ВУЗа) и вырасти, используя опыт данного
ВУЗа?

• Испытывал ли заявитель разочарование или неудачу? Если так, то


как он (она) реагировал(а) на них?

• Существуют ли какие-либо необычные семе ные или социальные


обстоятельства, о которых нам следует знать?

2) Подчеркните его самые важные достоинства

Вам необязательно описывать каждое качество школьника. На


самом деле, "разносторонние" или "сбалансированные" ученики — это
не те, кого ищут самые престижные вузы США. Хоть и приемная
комиссия университетов нуждается в учениках, отличившихся во
многих академических предметах, больше всего она ценит присутствие
изюминки в студенте. Вузам нужны не сбалансированные ученики, а
сбалансированные классы. Немного музыкальных вундеркиндов,
немного призеров международных олимпиад, немного бизнесменов,
немного писателей, немного национальных спортсменов – вот как
создаются сбалансированные, разносторонние классы.

Рекомендательные письма не должны описывать ученика, как


талантливого во всех своих занятиях. Вместо этого они могут
построить детальную картину и подчеркнуть те качества, которые
просто необходимы для понимания того, кто этот человек и что
побуждает его к действию. Стараясь перечислить много достоинств,
есть риск передать лишь поверхностную информацию.

3) Рассказы и примеры

Утверждения об ученике должны прикрепляться небольшими


рассказами. 

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Сравните два примера:

1. Анна всегда думает о других людях. Она добра и сострадательна.


Более того, она - талантливый художник. Сочувствие к другим людям и
художественный талант делают Анну особенной.

2. Анна совместила в себе два ее сильнейших качества,


художественный талант и сопереживание, чтобы организовать
благотворительную ярмарку в виде небольшого кафе. Она
договорилась с учениками и администрацией и провела концерт
выступления учеников, тем самым собрав деньги местному приюту для
бездомных. Она даже убедила некоторые предприятия предоставить
еду и оборудование для мероприятия. Столь вдохновляющее
мероприятие прошло с большим успехом, и благодаря лидерству Анны
будет проведен и в следующем году.

Первый текст не содержит никаких примеров, из-за чего читатель не


догадывается, как рекомендатель узнал об этих качествах ученика или
насколько это правдиво. 

Второй же текст делится примером из жизни. Очень хорошо, если
приемная комиссия надолго запомнит ученика на фоне десятков тысяч
поступающих именно благодаря рассказу о нем, именно благодаря
рекомендательному письму. 

Более того, очень эффективно писать письмо увлекательным и


захватывающим, делая ученика интересным в глазах приемной
комиссии. Рассказы из жизни ученика или из взаимодействия с ним
могут помочь с этим! Они читают заявки целыми ночами, значит
типичное и скучное письмо - последнее, чего они хотят.

4) Сильная лексика

Будет хорошей идеей использовать неизбитые и убедительные слова


при описании школьника. Аналитический, любознательный, мастер
какого-либо дела, креативный, взрослый, сопереживающий, лидер,
мотивированный, амбициозный – все это хорошие слова для того,
чтобы охарактеризовать учащегося. С другой стороны, слова
“трудолюбивый” и “умный” могут показаться избитыми.

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5) Какова позиция ученика в ваших глазах?

Как он смотрится на фоне других ребят за всю вашу карьеру?


Приемной комиссии будет легче представить потенциал ученика и
решить, подходит ли он самому престижному вузу США, если
рекомендатель напишет утверждение о его уровне.

"Елена, без всякого сомнения, проявила себя как талантливейший и


самый мотивированный ученик, которому я вела уроки за 20 лет своей
карьеры учителя"

"Андрей - один из трех моих лучших учеников русского языка за 20


лет моей работы”

Разумеется, писать такое стоит только в случае, если ученик этого


заслуживает. Если школьника можно описать только фразами «Выше
среднего», «Старается чуть больше обычного ученика», такие
заявления могут навредить ему, ведь вузы с тысячами кандидатами
хотят иметь лучших студентов. Если его способности не позволяют
ставить его выше других, не стоит упоминать его «ранг».

Однако важность утверждения об исключительности или


особенности учащегося нельзя переоценить – оно будет
запоминающимся для приемной комиссии, особенно университетов
Лиги Плюща.

Наконец, завершая ваше письмо, поделитесь, кем вы видите ученика


в будущем? Каким студентом он будет в университете? Приемная
комиссия желает собрать учеников, у каждого из которых свой
особенный талант. Говоря о будущей роли вашего ученика, вы
покажете университету того, кого они ищут.

При составлении рекомендательного письма помните: ваша задача –


отличить ученика от остальных как особенного и удивительного
кандидата, осветить и интеллектуальные, и личные качества, и дать
комиссии целостный взгляд на человека, который придет в
университетский кампус в следующем году (если ему повезет). Также
вы можете попросить учащегося составить Brag Sheet, где он (она)
составить список всех своих достижений и ярких моментов.

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Заметки от Admission O cer'a (MIT).


Пожалу ста, обратите особое внимание на вступление и окончание
ваше рекомендации. Помните, мы читаем более 20,000 заявок, и мы
мы должны помнить те сильные, запоминающиеся моменты, которые
вы используете при оценке кандидата. Пишите ту информацию,
которую вам комфортно писать, но и не стесня тесь давать нам
правдивую информацию. Мы ищем и рассматриваем только
непревзо денных кандидатов, если они подкреплены примерами и
преподносят нам достаточны контекст; т.е. та информация. которая
стоит за достижениями студента. С учетом сказанного, пожалу ста,
пишите то, что отличает его и то, что кандидат делает сверх того, что
требуется программы или академических требовани , студенческих
оценок и успеваемости. Информацию о его программах и
академическо успеваемости мы можем получить из других часте
заявления.


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Brag Sheet.
При составлении рекомендательного письма помните: ваша задача –
отличить ученика от остальных как особенного и удивительного
кандидата, осветить и интеллектуальные, и личные качества, и дать
комиссии целостный взгляд на человека, который придет в
университетский кампус в следующем году (если ему повезет). Также
вы можете попросить учащегося составить Brag Sheet, где он(а)
составить список всех своих достижений и ярких моментов.

Будьте честны, искренны и уникальны в составлении Brag Sheet!

Перечислите все выдающиеся достижения и ваши основные


моменты:
• Grade 9 - European Math Cup: National rank - 2nd, international rank
- 9th.

• Grade 9 - National Writing Contest, "Best Story" - 3rd place.

• Grade 10 - National English Olympiad 2nd place

• Movie Club – grade 11.

• Drama – grade 7-11. In Grade 10 our drama troupe was selected as


one of 2 participant teams of European Festival of Arts and Sciences in
France.

• French (Gr 8 -11), level B1.2. I loved the language!

Задайте себе личные и искренние вопросы:


• Это очень важно для меня в моей жизни.

• Как вы проводите свое свободное время?

• Что вы узнали о себе с тех пор, как поступили в среднюю школу?


Ты изменился?

• Опишите значительную проблему или препятствие, которое вам


пришлось преодолеть. Что вы узнали из этого?

• Что вы считаете своим самым выдающимся достижением,


академическим и личным?

Примеры Brag Sheet вы можете найти в ресурсах.


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Структура письма.
Мы нашли подробный набор инструкций для написания
рекомендательных писем, разбивая на три части: введение, основная
часть и заключение.

Помните, что это один из способов сделать это. Но если вы хотите


использовать другую структуру, то не бойтесь экспериментировать.

Вступление
• Зацепка, приманка: начните с сравнения/метафоры, абсолютного
утверждения, удивительного факта, красочной характеристики.

• В первой строке должно быть указано полное имя человека,


которого вы рекомендуете.

• Сделайте письмо общим, чтобы его можно было использовать


для других университетов (т. е. не ставьте “студент будет
великолепен в вашем кампусе”, потому что он может быть
использован и для других целей).

• Укажите, как давно вы знаете ученика и в каком контексте.

Основная часть

• Обсудите работу студента в вашем классе.

1. Это своевременно, организованная, творческая, тщательная,


аккуратная, проницательная, необычное?

• Опишите, как студент взаимодействует со сверстниками и


взрослыми/учебной средой.

1. Их любят? Неужели они решили общаться с хорошими


людьми? Есть ли у них хорошие навыки общения с людьми?

2. Доверяют ли им люди, особенно взрослые?

3. Являются ли они добрыми/отзывчивыми/внимательными?

4. Лидерство: они подают пример или берут на себя


ответственность? Хорошо ли они работают в небольших группах?
Активно и/или уважительно участвовать в обсуждении всего
класса? Хорошо работать самостоятельно? Понимаете, как
разбить сложные задачи? Предложить изменения в заданиях,

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которые сделают их более значимыми? Поддержать слабых


учеников?

• Опишите то, что вы запомните о студенте.

1. Выходите за рамки трудолюбия и интеллекта: говорите о


юморе, смелости, доброте, терпении, энтузиазме,
любознательности, гибкости, эстетике, независимости,
вежливости, упрямстве, креативности и т. д.

2. Всегда говорите о трудовой этике, если можете.

3. Всегда говорите о честности, по крайней мере мимоходом,


если можете.

4. Причуды-это хорошо. Индивидуальность-это хорошо. Можно


говорить о студенте, одержимом аниме, или романами Джона
Грина, или Википедией. Рассказывают о том, как они всегда
рисуют каракули, всегда носят с собой книгу, играют в
фантастический крикет. Хорошо говорить о том, как студент
относится к тому, чтобы быть другим — из-за своей расы,
сексуальной ориентации, религии, инвалидности. Не уклоняйтесь
от этих вещей.

• Поговорите о том, почему вы будете скучать по ним.

1. Опишите, как студент реагирует на неудачи/проблемы/


обратную связь.

2. Подробно описывайте любые преодоленные академические


препятствия, даже если они частично смущают, отрицательны или
спорны.

3. Хорошо ли они воспринимают критику? Хорошо ли они


реагируют на более низкую, чем ожидалось, оценку? Они когда-
нибудь хорошо справлялись с кризисом или чрезвычайной
ситуацией?

4. Как они справляются с академическими проблемами?


Пришел на репетиторство? Запросить дополнительную работу?
Если какая-то конкретная область показала заметное улучшение
в течение года, объясните, что сделал студент, чтобы это
произошло.

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5. Просят ли они о помощи, когда это необходимо? Учатся ли


они сами? Следят ли они за своим собственным обучением?
Применяют ли они обратную связь/учатся ли на ошибках?

• Приведите доказательства и примеры личных качеств.

1. Физические описания могут быть очень полезны здесь. Если


вам это кажется странным, Сара отмечает, что это способ
сделать студентов (которые могут выглядеть как все остальные
на бумаге) запоминающимися: “когда вы можете представить
себе студента, который носит плащ и фетровую шляпу в школу,
это делает 36 и 4.0 намного более интересными … мы
обнаружили, что это был способ вдохнуть жизнь в приложения,
которые могли бы потеряться в перетасовке, сделав студентов
людьми для читателя.

2. Подумайте об анекдотах, которые студент рассказал о своей


жизни, о том, как он описывает себя, о выполненных работах/
проектах, о моделях репетиторства, о том, как он сделал что-то
драматическое в классе.

3. Ссылайтесь на значимые проекты или академические работы,


особенно те, которые устанавливают новую планку для класса.

4. Определите вовлеченность студента, уровень его


интеллектуальной жизнеспособности и стиль обучения в вашем
классе.

5. Если вы преподаете английский язык/историю: вы должны


решить, насколько хорошо они читают. Сложные вещи?
Архаичные вещи? Видят ли они нюансы, тон и подтекст? Вы
также должны решить, насколько хорошо они пишут. Это
организованно? Творческий подход? Логично? Интуиция?
Функциональный? У них сильный голос? Могут ли они быть
смешными? Формально?.

6. Если вы преподаете математику/естественные науки: вы


должны решить, как студент анализирует информацию/
обрабатывает абстракцию. Хорошо ли они разбираются в
категориях? При визуализации? При объяснении? Как они
решают новую тему или странную проблему? Подумайте о том,
как выглядят их домашние задания/тесты, когда вы оцениваете
их. Что это говорит вам о том, как они думают?

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• Включайте только точные знания о внеклассном участии ученика.


Никаких списков.

1. Внеклассные занятия имеют значение только потому, что они


показывают что — то о студенте-страсть, умение, талант.
Внеклассные занятия уходят — что они с собой возьмут? Что они
принесут в кампус?

2. Внеклассные достижения лучше всего использовать в


качестве примеров для демонстрации более ранних пунктов, а не
как цель/параграф сами по себе.

3. Если вы являетесь спонсором, подумайте о том, как


реагировать на неудачи, поддерживать членов команды,
организовывать мероприятия, вносить предложения, которые
изменили то, как команда/группа делала вещи, подавать пример и
расти с течением времени.

Вывод

• Начните с недвусмысленной рекомендации. “[Полное имя] несет в


себе мою самую сильную рекомендацию.”

• Укажите, что студент принесет в учебное заведение (а не почему


он заслуживает признания).

• Суммируйте качества и достижения студента, которые вы хотите


подчеркнуть.

• Закончите эмоциональным комментарием — что вы будете


скучать по ним, что вы узнали от них, что вам жаль, что они уходят,
что они ваши любимые и т. д.

Free Guide by UniversitieS

Примеры рекомендательных писем от


College Essay Guy.
THE STUDENT WHO’S FACED ADVERSITY
Jordan has a lot on her mind and more on her plate. When I met her, she
didn’t: she was 14, a freshman in my English class, and absolutely
irrepressible. She was game for anything: she made friends with everyone,
she joined clubs, and started one when she saw a need. She aced every
assignment and always turned in homework that showed careful, thoughtful
work. She found a boyfriend, and then found out she was better o without
him. She was a recracker, and clearly among the strongest in her class.

It was clear, then, why she was good with chaos: she lived in a tiny little
house with her parents and four sisters, and when a baby brother ( nally)
appeared during her freshman year, she rolled with that, too: my own son is
just a year or so older, and she and I would commiserate about teething and
late nights and diapers. From those conversations, I realized that Jordan has
the gift and burden of being a practical, sympathetic person —sympathetic
enough to be driven to help those in need, and practical enough to see what
can be done. So when her mom struggled with a house full of babies and a
job, it was always Jordan who put down her homework to go get dinner
started or to wipe a snotty nose or to fold a load of laundry. The older girls
had their sights on the big world and the younger ones were too little to help
—it tended to fall on her.

It was clearly a house with a lot of love and not quite enough resources,
and while she had more responsibilities than I wished, I mostly admired how
well she handled it.

All that changed spring of her sophomore year when her father died. Being
a teacher means watching this happen once every few years. The emotional
impact is, of course, brutal, but usually it’s relatively simple: the issue is grief,
and time does help. But they have six children in the house, 3 not yet in
school, and that’s not a simple problem. It’s a world of responsibility and
expense, and it’s not something that time can soothe. I cried when I realized
she was working part time, because I know how hard she works at school,
and I could imagine the grind of her life each day—from the minute she
wakes up until she goes to bed, there is an endless need for a pair of hands
at home, and then she goes to school to face a brutal academic schedule.
Adding a shift at a fast food restaurant before heading home to juggle
toddlers and preschoolers and to somehow get her homework done seemed
beyond all reason—but the reason was the simple economic need to avoid
being a burden on the family, and to help out with some other expenses. I

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hugged her when she managed to save up enough to quit during AP exams
season. I felt like a weight lifted o me—even the sympathy weight was
rough —what was the real one like? Of course, she went right back to work
when school let out, and when she went back and asked for her job back,
they promoted her to shift manager. She spent the summer running a crew of
adult full-time fast food workers, and she saved enough to be able to quit for
the school year.

I could not do what Jordan does. But she does it. Every damn day. I don’t
know that it ever occurs to her that she could let anything go-- she passed
most of her sophomore AP exams a month after burying her dad, and had an
even stronger performance her junior year despite having no time to even
think. She never misses an assignment, and I wish they looked more rushed,
because I’d feel less guilty about assigning them. Her grades have stayed
good—not as good as they would have been, I think, but good—and she’s
continued to take the most challenging course load we o er, including the
marathon AP Physics/AP Chemistry course we call SuperLab. She’s heavily
involved with YWISE, a STEM research program through the University of
Texas at Dallas. More tellingly, she’s maintained a social life—she keeps up
with her friends, worries about their problems, gossips about boys, and
never, ever complains. She still makes it to meeting of the Girl Club she
helped found, to dances and to socials. She still indulges in blue or pink hair
dye when she can. She’s still a vital part of our community.

But she always looks tired to me, and a little underfed, and it breaks my
heart every day.

Jordan is my favorite in that group—she was extraordinary before, and the


tragedy of her sophomore year has tempered her into steel. I want, so
desperately, for her to have a chance to go away, to apply all that strength
and creativity and initiative to changing the world instead of to serving
customers and wiping snotty noses. Jordan will be ne, regardless—she’s
proved that these last two years. But we as a society need the kind of
person she will grow into if placed into an environment that will point her
talents towards targets worthy of them.

She carries my absolute strongest recommendation. I am sure there is


some concern that she might have family obligations that will keep her from
being able to accept a place in a residential program, but I’ve discussed
logistics with her and her mother and I am con dent that the family is
prepared to live without her in the immediate household. I do expect she will
have to work in the summers. If you have any other questions or concerns,
please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely, Amanda Ashmead, Humanities Chair

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THE HIGH-ACHIEVING STUDENT
Taylor managed to nd the one school in America where he’d be the odd
man out, and he was as good for us as we were for him. He bridges some
very di erent worlds found in highly selective institutions, and I think he’d be
a fabulous resource for any such community.

On one hand, Taylor is brilliant: I’ve been in advanced academics and


working with extraordinarily talented students for 15 years, and Taylor is,
without a doubt, among the strongest students I’ve ever worked with. His
faculty for language, in particular, is extraordinary: he’s one of those
analytical/verbal people—he thinks like a philosopher. He can read anything,
however archaic or abstract, and never misses nuance or tone. He enjoys
cleverness with language—not the easy cleverness of puns but the intricate
interplay of sound and meaning that make a sentence or a phase perfect. He
writes awlessly—his natural voice is straightforward and organized and
e cient. His scores reveal a similar aptitude for math and science, though I
really think even there he’s a word guy—his thinking, his understanding, is
verbal in nature. His work ethic is beyond reproach: every assignment done
awlessly, tests studied for, cello practiced, community involvement
accomplished. He makes busy look easy.

On the other hand, Taylor is de ned by his Evangelical Protestant faith,


and he very much belongs to a suburban, a uent Evangelical community.
I’m talking church Sunday morning and Wednesday night, Young Life and
Fellowship of Christian Athletes. This is a pretty common community in
America, but it’s not common at this school, for a variety of reasons: our
student body is poor, urban, and minority. We are a STEM magnet with a
decidedly secular feel. What with one thing or another, we have more openly
gay atheist boys than evangelical Christians at this school, and more kids
would admit to being undocumented than being pro-life. When 14-year old
Taylor got here, straight from a little parochial white- ight school in the
suburbs, it must have felt like he’d arrived in Gomorrah, but with a Freshman
Calculus class. But instead of running for it (which I think he seriously
considered), Taylor adapted—and the way he adapted is a testimony to his
character and the key to why he will be such an important asset in an
academic community.

For one thing, Taylor always brings his full intelligence and analytical ability
to bear on his faith. There are strains of Evangelical Protestantism that
discourage active and sincere questioning, but that is not Taylor’s way. He
questions everything, and he always embraces nuance and tone. So when
he was suddenly immersed in an environment that challenged rather than
reinforced his faith, he didn’t feel threatened—rather, he appreciated the
chance to really explore his own beliefs in a new context. Furthermore, his

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analytical nature means he is able to compartmentalize and to appreciate
people that are truly di erent than he is. I, myself, could not be more di erent
than Taylor in this way—I pretty clearly lean far left, and I know I’ve used
cuss words in front of him he probably never even heard before—but we’ve
always had a relationship de ned by mutual respect and an honest
willingness to learn from each other.

Second, he’s a really nice young man who makes friends readily. I’ve
watched him develop deep friendships with students so very di erent from
him—racially and socioeconomically, of course, but also ideologically. He
has really high and speci c ethical standards for himself, but he doesn’t
worry about other people. He’s used these last four years to learn about
worlds he didn’t know existed, and it’s made him humble and thoughtful.
We’ve had other, similar students in his position that didn’t react as
gracefully: suddenly being the minority is jarring, and some students react
with resentment. Taylor, though, understands his own situation is a shadow
of what many of his classmates face in other contexts, and rather than
become bitter, he’s become sympathetic and wise.

In many ways, college is traditionally the place where students like Taylor
have the opportunity to learn what Taylor already knows—how to get along
and work with people that are di erent than themselves. Taylor will be a
catalyst for that process: he can move comfortably in literally any company,
and he can translate between very di erent people—and teach them to
connect to each other. If I were putting together a group of students for a
long term research program and I was worried about group cohesion, Taylor
is the person I’d select because he would be the model and the architect for
mutual respect and cooperation. Also, he could write the paper.

Taylor thinks he’s going to be an engineer. No one here believes him. He’ll
get the engineering degree, but it’s clear to us he’ll end up doing something
larger than that: his skill set is too large, his interests and passions too broad,
his gifts for working with people too profound. I don’t know exactly what he
will do—entrepreneur, author, large-scale project manager?---but it will be
remarkable. He’ll be a huge asset to your community from day one, and be a
credit to the institution for decades after. He carries my very strongest
recommendation. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t
hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Amanda Ashmead, Humanities Chair

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THE INTROVERTED STUDENT
Somewhere on your campus you have a professor who will be really glad
you accepted Taylor. He’s that kind of student—the sort to be liked and
respected by his classmates, but really appreciated by the professors who
will see what is so clear to any adult paying attention—Taylor has the soul of
an academic. Right now, he thinks he’s getting a degree in a STEM eld and
then a job, but that’s just because he’s the rst in his family to go to college
and he doesn’t even know the world he’s best suited to even exists. He’ll get
the STEM degree, but he won’t stop there, and he’ll nd his place in the
world where complex thought justi es itself.

Taylor is brilliant. I don’t know what the absolute number of National Merit
Semi-Finalists that are poor, rst-generation children of immigrants coming
from a non-English speaking home, but I’m sure it’s appallingly low. He can
read anything—not just decode, but understand nuance and tone and
context. He writes organized, e ective prose. Taylor has barely begun to tap
his own potential—even here, I’m not sure he’s ever really had to put his
head down and work. Outside projects, like Robots and Academic
Decathlon, have given him the opportunity to really extend himself, but even
then he’s been working o of someone else’s blueprint, and that’s not the
same. This is one that is going to explode a few years into a true intellectual.

Taylor likes to talk, but not in a large class. He’s best in a small group, or
during o ce hours: he’s the sort that thinks so fast that he needs to speak
slowly—any question posed to him evokes not a response, but a mental
avalanche of responses, objections, counter-responses, analogies, and
implications that he needs to process before he talks, needs to almost
physically keep himself in check to insure that he isn’t leaving his listener far
behind. His essays were fantastic— Taylor at his best when he has time and
space to really develop an idea. While Taylor certainly has a breadth of
knowledge to draw upon, in his heart he is a deep thinker—he wants to take
ideas and see how far he can go with them. He’s just the sort that thrives on
really complex and intricate research.

It would be easy to mistake Taylor for being a little cold. He worries he is a


little cold, because it is very clear to him that he has more control over his
external emotional reactions than the average teenager. But he’s not—he’s
cerebral, de nitely, and he values rationality, but he also has a great sense of
humor: Taylor was the only kid in class that caught my most sophisticated
jokes, and his subtle half-grin of approval always made me feel like I’d
accomplished something. He can be incredibly intense when he is intrigued
by a new idea, and he knows how to listen, really listen, when he’s hearing
something new. He also can be moved to anger on rare occasions—he
doesn’t yell or wave his arms, but Taylor is sensitive to cruelty and

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thoughtless ignorance. He is well liked, and has a circle of friends, but he
struggles to connect easily to his peers as a whole—he’s not given to
adolescent banter. But when he feels safe—when he doesn’t worry he’s
talking over someone’s head or boring the life out of them--he’s fantastic:
warm, engaged, thoughtful and willing to listen. He likes this school and he
likes his classmates, but he hasn’t quite found his people yet. I’m pretty sure
that he will nd them in the world of academia.

Taylor is really special. I am quite fond of him, and absolutely convinced he


will make meaningful contributions to the stock of human knowledge. He
carries my strongest recommendation.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact


me.

Sincerely,

Amanda Ashmead, Humanities Chair

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THE MIDDLE-OF-THE-PACK STUDENT
I have such a soft spot for Jordan. In the year he was in my AP Literature
class, I really learned to respect his unusual ability to re ect on his own life,
and to use his own self-re ection to set goals and expectations that are
meaningful and appropriate to who he is, not merely a response to others’
expectations.

In most any high school in America, Jordan would be an academic


superstar. Here, at an exclusive STEM magnet, he’s very solid middle. This is
a di cult adjustment for many students, and many of them handle it poorly.
They make excuses, or they get discouraged, or they start slacking o so
that they can pretend they never wanted success in the rst place. Jordan
did none of that. He recognized pretty early that he was going to have to
work very hard just to keep up with the pack, and so he buckled down and
did that. Again, I want to reiterate that “middle of the pack” is still more
advanced than what any normal school o ers—not just taking and passing
multiple AP STEM classes, but opting into challenging humanities electives
as well.—but here, that feels like a lot of work to be nothing special. Jordan
wasn’t at all discouraged about that—his goal has always been self-
improvement, not using others as a yard stick. In one of his college essays,
he talked about how maturity is about endurance, and putting one foot in
front of the other even when it seems like the ultimate goal is out of reach.
Jordan gured that one out entirely on his own, and I tend to think a young
man who understands that simple truth is well nigh unstoppable.

While Jordan might have been middle of the pack in his STEM courses, he
was one of my better English students. His observations and insights into
characters in great literature were always impressive, and grew better and
better throughout the year as he learned to appreciate the medium more. I
always noticed that he was unusually sensitive to character’s internal
struggles and doubts, their unspoken motivations. His essays and classroom
commentary often presented very clever ideas that were totally unrelated to
my own interpretations or previous class discussions. I think this is an
outgrowth of his tendency to intensively re ect on his own motivations and
internal processes. His own personal aesthetic is a wonderful combination of
STEM-nerd, gentle vaquero, and small town friendly. That’s absolutely
something he constructed himself out of his own re ections and what suits
him, because nowhere in the world combines all those world-views.

Jordan is also a very uent writer. The structure of AP exams works


against him here—Jordan is a think-write-think-write type, and AP exams are
about disgorging facts and analysis in a rough draft, showing you can
produce the ideas in a hurry and assuming you can re ne them later. For
Jordan, re ning is part of the thinking process and he can’t do the one

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without the other. I think this held him back signi cantly, and that he will
really thrive in college where the extended researched argument becomes
the standard product. Jordan’s brain was made for extended researched
arguments.

Finally, Jordan is a sweetheart.  He’s so nice, so intensely sympathetic to


others.  He’s had some rough knocks in his life—a terrible divorce, and a
mother that I think has not coped with that well. He’s been largely on his own
in terms of direction—everything he’s accomplished has been the product of
his own ambition and ability to gure things out. I am a worrier by nature, but
I don’t worry about Jordan Moreno: he’s proven his ability to be successful. I
will miss him. Jordan carries my strongest recommendation. If you have any
questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Amanda Ashmead, Humanities Chair

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THE OUTLIER STUDENT
You look at Jordan’s application, and the story writes itself—fantastic test
scores, pathetic grades, weak extracurriculars--anyone would look at those
and think “smart, but doesn’t apply himself—will huddle in his dorm playing
video games until he unks out. Next!” That’s the obvious, easy
interpretation—it’s how a lot of us interpreted him, for years—but it couldn’t
be further from the truth. Please, please, please take a deeper look at this
application and consider giving him the chance he needs to demonstrate the
amazing young man that he is.

First, bluntly, Jordan is a victim of sustained abuse. CPS has been called,
the situation has been mitigated, we are watching him, but by the time we
became aware of this, much of the damage had been done. As a freshman,
he sat in my class with a at a ect and refused to answer questions or do
homework. He often looked exhausted. I assumed---we all assumed—he
was a student who really didn’t want to be in our specialized STEM program
and he was committing academic suicide so that he could return to his home
school. I did ask if there was anything wrong at home, but he very
convincingly blew that o . It wasn’t until his sophomore year that the
situation was revealed to us, and even then, it came in bits and pieces—he
kept talking about “corporal punishment” and really didn’t seem to
understand that bruises up and down your arms and knees sti from hours
of kneeling were not a “dark quirk of culture”--which was how he rationalized
this to himself. The abuse came entirely at the hands of his father, and while
the physical punishment has stopped, it is still not a happy or healthy
household. Jordan has learned some hard lessons at his father’s hands, and
they continue to a ect him.

First, Jordan is a stubborn son-of a-bitch. He has a perfect poker face—I


think you could cut his ngers o and he wouldn’t inch. That stoic face is
his way of de ecting others, of avoiding notice or interaction, but it’s also his
way of not giving in to his father—in a situation where he had no control and
no way out, he at least made sure not to give anyone the satisfaction of
seeing him hurt. I admire that in him, but it worked against him here: we
didn’t reach out as quickly as we should have, we didn’t push him enough,
because we didn’t really think he gave a damn about anything. It’s a mistake
that haunts me. But at the same time, I know that rock-solid perseverance
will be an asset to him. His perspective on what counts as a “challenge” is
entirely di erent from other students his own age, and while I’m sure he will
face real challenges as a student and as an adult, he will have the
unimaginable luxury of being able to respond to those challenges, to act.
After what he has been through, he will always see that opportunity as a gift
to be taken advantage of.

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There are other lessons I wish he hadn’t learned so well: he’s been taught
that he isn’t entitled to anything—not love, not support, not safety. It stops
him from asking for help when he should, and it’s going to be a long path for
him to learn that he’s allowed to expect things from the people that love him.
He’s learned that strength is about enduring, not advancing—his hero is his
mother, a war refugee who has fought her whole life to survive. His own
situation is exasperated by his father’s emphasis on success: every ambition
Jordan ever developed—from spelling bee to karate to academic success—
turned into a justi cation for rage and abuse when he “failed”--and it didn’t
matter how far he advanced, as long as there was anyone anywhere who
achieved at a higher level, he was made a target. I have no doubt Jordan will
be successful at school, in the sense that he will graduate in 4 years with
reasonably good grades. I hope for more, though— that he will nd a
community that teaches him that it’s safe to want things, to ght for them.

He’s very slowly opening up to a few of us, and we’re discovering a


wonderful young man. Even when he appeared to be a sullen 14-year old, I
liked him, though I couldn’t have told you why—mostly I liked the way his
face and body language reacted when we discussed literature, because it
was the sort of reaction that showed me he was sensitive, sympathetic, and
sophisticated in his worldview. He also genuinely loves learning: his SAT
scores show you that he’s plenty capable, but the AP scores show more—
that even when he couldn’t do homework, he always wanted to learn and
understand. Even when he was staring o into space, he was paying
attention. He’s passed seven AP exams already--and the two he didn’t pass
were taught by teachers who are . . . strongly authoritarian, which did not
encourage his best. He has a fantastic sense of humor; it’s hard to make him
smile—but when he does, it’s in response to something truly clever.

Jordan is going to break this cycle and turn into the sort of person who
speaks out against the sort of hell he faced. He has so, so much to give if
only we can get him to a safe space where he can undo some of the damage
done to him and start to rebuild himself. If you have any questions or
concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I mean that.

Sincerely,

Amanda Ashmead, Humanities Chair

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ANOTHER OUTLIER STUDENT EXAMPLE
Taylor is a bit of an anachronism. He’s been raised by his grandparents
using a model that was honestly a little old-fashioned when they were raising
their own kids: it’s all early to bed, early to rise, plenty of chores, and you
aren’t going to spend all summer sitting around young man, you can be
chopping wood and mowing lawns to save for college. There was also a
great deal of unconditional love and mutual respect. Together, that
combination has shaped a strong-minded, hard-working, ethical and rational
young man who manages to be both socially awkward and oddly charming.

Taylor has an interesting brain. He soaks up information like a sponge,


reading at the very highest level: he has an enormous, robust vocabulary and
is comfortable with long and archaic texts. He reads the way a person reads
when raised by grandparents who didn’t believe in screentime and who were
happy to nd him some chores if he were bored. He talks all that information
and les it away in some crazy system, the cognitive equivalent of a Mad
Scientist’ journals. I know this is true because he makes connections that are
at times brilliant, at times spurious, and always interesting. He processes
everything through quirky analogies, odd comparisons, and non-intuitive
connections. When the connections are spurious, he’s very polite and very
willing to listen to the counter-argument, but never blindly accepts someone
else’s point of view—Taylor has to come to his own understanding. Luckily,
all that information and all those connections mean that his own
understanding is very complex, and while he at times gets lost in the forest
of his own vast mind, he always nds his way back.

Taylor’s incredible ability to read is matched by a strong narrative voice:


he’s a good writer. Here, again, there’s a tendency to organize information in
a way that’s somewhat counterintuitive—the order that makes sense to him,
his sense of what is important and what is detail—is sometimes a little non-
typical, but there’s an undeniable brilliance there and a strong natural voice. I
always genuinely looked forward to reading his essays. He’s much more
interested in ideas than in people: even in literary analysis he always wanted
to quickly bypass questions of character and motivation and get into the
really complex abstract ideas underlying the personal.

Taylor is a hard worker with absolutely no expectations of short-term


grati cation. He’s very willing to set a long term goal and work toward it in
stages, and supremely con dent that if the plan is good and he does what
he needs to do, it will work out in the end—however far away that is. He was
raised in a household where hard-work and self-reliance and general
competency were important virtues, and he’s adopted that worldview
without hesitation.

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Taylor would be a wonderful addition to any academic community. He’s
absolutely academically on par with any of his peers, but his background, his
frame of reference, his sense of how things connect is so unique that he
can’t help but inspire true intellectual dialogue. He’s patient and polite and
respectful and he truly loves to learn. I highly recommend him.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact


me.

Sincerely,

Amanda Ashmead, Humanities Chair


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Примеры рекомендательных писем от PrepScholar.


Sample Letter #1: Sara the Poet
Dear Admissions Committee,

I had the pleasure of teaching Sara in her 11th grade honors English class
at Mark Twain High School. From the rst day of class, Sara impressed me
with her ability to be articulate about di cult concepts and texts, her
sensitivity to the nuances within literature, and her passion for reading,
writing, and creative expression- both in and out of the classroom. Sara is a
talented literary critic and poet, and she has my highest recommendation as
a student and writer.

Sara is talented at considering the subtleties within literature and the


purpose behind authors' works. She produced an extraordinary year-long
thesis paper on creative identity development, in which she compared works
from three di erent time periods and synthesized cultural and historical
perspectives to inform her analysis. When called upon to give her thesis
defense in front of her peers, Sara spoke clearly and eloquently about her
conclusions and responded to questions in a thoughtful way. Outside of the
classroom, Sara is dedicated to her literary pursuits, especially to poetry.
She publishes her poetry in our school's literary magazine, as well as in
online magazines. She is an insightful, sensitive, and deeply self-aware
individual driven to explore art, writing, and a deeper understanding of the
human condition.

Throughout the year Sara was an active participant in our discussions, and
she always supported her peers. Her caring nature and personality allow her
to work well with others in a team setting, as she always respects others'
opinions even when they di er from her own. When we held a class debate
about gun laws, Sara opted to speak for the side opposite her own views.
She explained her choice as motivated by a desire to put herself in other
people's shoes, view the issues from a new perspective, and gain a clearer
sense of the issue from all angles. Throughout the year, Sara demonstrated
this openness to and empathy for the opinions, feelings, and perspectives of
others, along with shrewd powers of observation, all qualities that makes her
outstanding as a student of literature and burgeoning writer.

I am certain that Sara is going to continue to do great and creative things


in her future. I highly recommend her for admission to your undergraduate
program. She is talented, caring, intuitive, dedicated, and focused in her
pursuits. Sara consistently seeks out constructive feedback so she can
improve her writing skills, which is a rare and impressive quality in a high
school student. Sara is truly a stand-out individual who will impress everyone

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she meets. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at
callmeclemens@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Ms. Scribe, English Teacher, Mark Twain High School

Заметки:
Ms. Scribe высокого мнения о Саре и ее навыках письма и
литературного анализа. Один из способов, которым она выражает это,
- использование мощного и специфического языка. Она не просто
говорит, что Сара хороший писатель. Она говорит, что четко
формулирует сложные концепции и чувствительна к нюансам в
литературе. Она называет ее проницательной и самосознающей с
проницательной наблюдательностью.

Эти дескрипторы не происходят случайно. Ms. Scribeпотратила


время, чтобы тщательно подобрать слова, и это усилие окупилось
сильным письмом, которое отражает особые качества Сары.

Ms. Scribe также поддерживает свою характеристику Сары


примерами. Она описывает свою диссертационную работу и то, как она
вдумчиво отвечала на вопросы в напряженной ситуации своей защиты
диссертации. Она приводит пример обсуждения законов об оружии,
чтобы проиллюстрировать открытость Сары ко многим различным
точкам зрения.

В дополнение к освещению ее интеллектуальных и личных сильных


сторон и поддержке их конкретными примерами, Ms. Scribe говорит о
целях Сары на будущее. Она указывает, что талантлива в писательстве,
особенно в поэзии, и что она намерена продолжать
совершенствоваться как писатель в своем будущем.

Это письмо, в силу его формулировки, объема и специфики,


показывает, что Ms. Scribeпотратила время и усилия, чтобы
рекомендовать Сару вдумчиво и убедительно. Тот факт, что она
хорошо знает Сару и стремится помочь ее заявлению добиться успеха
с помощью вдумчивого письма, еще больше добавляет веса ее оценке.

Это письмо будет хорошим подспорьем для Сары, особенно если она
собирается изучать литературу или английский язык. Она явно
произвела впечатление на своего учителя английского языка и, в свою
очередь, получила памятное, комплиментарное рекомендательное
письмо для своего заявления в колледж.


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Sample Letter #2: Stacy the Engineer


Dear Admissions Committee,

It is a great pleasure to recommend Stacy for admission to your


engineering program. She is one of the most exceptional students I have
encountered in my 15 years of teaching. I taught Stacy in my 11th grade
honors physics class and advised her in Robotics Club. I am not surprised to
nd out she is now ranked at the top of an extraordinarily capable class of
seniors. She has a keen interest in and talent for physics, math, and
scienti c inquiry. Her advanced skills and passion for the subject make her
an ideal t for your rigorous engineering program.

Stacy is a perceptive, sharp, quick individual with a high aptitude for math
and science. She is driven to understand how things work, whether they be
the old computer hard drives in the school library or the forces that hold our
universe together. Her nal project in class was especially impressive, an
investigation of frequency-dependent sound absorption, an idea that she
said was sparked by not wanting to bother her parents with her hours of
guitar practice at home. She's been a strong leader in Robotics Club, eager
to share her knowledge with others and learn new skills. I have the students
in the club prepare lessons and take turns leading our after-school meetings.
When it was Stacy's turn, she showed up prepared with a fascinating lecture
on lunar nautics and fun activities that got everyone moving and talking. She
was our only student teacher to be met with much deserved applause at the
end of her lesson.

Stacy's personal strengths are as impressive as her intellectual


accomplishments. She's an active, outgoing presence in class with a great
sense of humor. Stacy's the perfect person to get a group project rolling, but
she also knows how to sit back and let others take the lead. Her cheerful
nature and openness to feedback means she's always learning and growing
as a learner, an impressive strength that will continue to serve her well in
college and beyond. Stacy is just the kind of driven, engaging, and curious
student that helped make our classroom a lively environment and safe place
to take intellectual risks.

Stacy has my highest recommendation for admission to your engineering


program. She has demonstrated excellence in all that she puts her mind to,
whether it's designing an experiment, collaborating with others, or teaching
herself to play classical and electrical guitar. Stacy's endless curiosity,
combined with her willingness to take risks, leads me to believe there will be
no limit to her growth and achievements in college and beyond. Please don't
hesitate to contact me at milevamaricfanclub@gmail.com if you have any
questions.

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Sincerely,

Ms. Randall, Physics Teacher, Marie Curie High School

Заметки:
Ms. Randall сразу же подключается к Стейси с заявлением о
выдающемся рейтинге: Стейси-одна из самых выдающихся студенток,
которых она имела за 15 лет преподавания. Подобное заявление
довольно необычно и произведет впечатление на читателей. Стейси
говорит как особенная студентка, и она хорошо выбрала своего
рекомендателя.

Как и в предыдущем примере, это письмо использует сильный,


специфический язык, называя Стейси проницательным и острым
человеком, у которого есть уверенность и хорошее настроение, чтобы
пойти на интеллектуальный риск. Благодаря своему точному и
выразительному языку это письмо помогает Стейси ожить в сознании
читателя.

Помимо оценки, Ms. Randall приводит конкретные примеры


академических и личных достоинств Стейси. Она рассказывает о своем
успешном преподавании в клубе робототехники, лидерстве в групповых
проектах и самоотверженной практике обучения игре на гитаре.

Вместо того чтобы распространять письмо слишком тонко, Ms.


Randall выделяет несколько основных тем. Она связывает любовь
Стейси к музыке с ее страстью к физике, говоря о частотно-зависимом
проекте звукопоглощения. Все нити завязываются в красивый,
запоминающийся бантик.

Это письмо - решительный голос в поддержку заявки Стейси на


участие в инженерной программе. Ее учитель физики восхищается
навыками и целями Стейси, и она ясно дала понять, что Стейси
получила свою самую высокую рекомендацию в этом письме.


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Sample Letter #3: William the History Bu and Social Organizer


Dear Admissions Committee,

It is hard to overstate the meaningful contributions that William has made


to our school and surrounding community. As both his 10th and 11th grade
History teacher, I've had the pleasure of seeing William make profound
contributions both in and out of the classroom. His school and community
service is motivated by a strong sense of social justice, which he informs
through a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of historical trends and
events. I can say with con dence that William is one of the most caring and
driven students I've ever taught in my fteen years at the school.

As a child of immigrant parents, William is especially drawn to understand


the immigrant experience. He produced an extraordinary semester-long
research paper on the treatment of Japanese-Americans in the U.S. during
WWII, in which he went beyond all expectations to conduct Skype interviews
with relatives of his featured subjects to incorporate into his paper. William
has a great capacity to draw connections between past and present and to
ground his understanding of current issues in the context of historical events.
He never retreats to a simple answer or explanation, but is comfortable
dealing with ambiguity. William's fascination with U.S. and World History and
skill for deep analysis have him an exemplary scholar, as a well as a
motivated activist driven to promote civil rights and work towards social
equity.

In sophomore year, William noticed that the college planning seminars


students attended included little information for rst generation or immigrant
students. Always thinking about how institutions can better serve people,
William spoke with counselors and ESL teachers about his ideas to better
support all students. He helped collect resources and design a college
planning curriculum for immigrant and undocumented students to enhance
their college access. He further helped organize a group that connected ESL
students with native English speakers, stating his mission to be helping ELLs
improve their English and increasing multicultural awareness and social
cohesion at the school as a whole. William identi ed a need and worked with
students and faculty alike to meet it in an extremely e ective and bene cial
way. Ever the history scholar, he did plenty of research to back up his ideas.

William believes passionately in social progress and working for the


common good. His own personal experiences, along with his profound grasp
on social history, drive his advocacy work. He is a talented, intelligent
student with the charisma, con dence, strong values, and respect for others
to make a huge di erence in the world around him. I'm looking forward to
seeing all the good that William continues to do for his fellow humanity in

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college and beyond, as well as the excellent work that he will produce at the
college level. William has my highest recommendation. If you have any
questions, please contact me at thethingstheycarried@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Mr. Jackson, History Teacher, Martin Luther King, Jr. High School

Заметки:
Как и Ms. Randall в своем письме, Mr. Jackson дает заявление о
выдающемся рейтинге Уильяма, называя его одним из самых
заботливых и целеустремленных студентов, которых он когда-либо
учил. Учитывая его долгую преподавательскую карьеру в 15 лет, это
многое говорит об Уильяме как студенте и человеке.

Как и в предыдущем примере, Mr. Jackson фокусируется на


нескольких ключевых аспектах характера Уильяма. Он говорит о своей
любви к истории и о том, как она влияет на его социальную активность.
Он комментирует свою исключительную историческую ученость, а
также свои личные качества-заботу о тех, кто его окружает, и работу
на благо общества.

Mr. Jackson также дает представление о личной жизни Уильяма,


объясняя, как он лично связан со своими проектами и волонтерской
работой в качестве ребенка родителей-иммигрантов. Это письмо
показывает, что Уильям-вдумчивый, мотивированный человек, который
связывает свой собственный опыт с его обучением и желанием внести
свой вклад в его сообщество.

В письме также демонстрируются исключительные достижения


Уильяма, приводя конкретные примеры исследовательской работы
Уильяма и его работы, поддерживающей академические и личные
потребности студентов ELL. Mr. Jackson выражает свою восторженную
рекомендацию, одновременно подчеркивая любовь Уильяма к учебе и
силу характера. Это письмо будет впечатляющим и запоминающимся
для сотрудников приемной комиссии, рассматривающих Уильяма для
поступления в их школу.


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Sample Letter #4: Joe the Hard Worker


Dear Admissions Committee,

It is my pleasure to recommend Joe, who I taught in my 11th grade math


class. Joe demonstrated tremendous e ort and growth throughout the year
and brought a great energy to class. He has that combination of a positive
attitude and the belief that he can always improve that's rare in a high school
student, but so essential to the learning process. I am con dent that he will
continue to display the same commitment and diligence in everything he
does. I highly recommend Joe for admission to your school.

Joe would not describe himself as a math person. He's told me on several
occasions that all the numbers and variables make his mind go fuzzy. Joe
did, in fact, struggle to comprehend the material at the beginning of the year,
but his response to this is what really struck me. Where so many others have
given up, Joe took on this class as a welcome challenge. He stayed after
school for extra help, got extra tutoring at the nearby college, and asked
questions in and out of class. Due to all his hard work, Joe not only raised
his grades, but he also inspired some of his classmates to stay after for extra
help, as well. Joe truly demonstrated a growth mindset, and he inspired his
peers to adopt that valuable perspective, too. Joe helped contribute to our
classroom environment as one where all students can feel supported and
able to ask questions.

Joe's strong belief in his ability to acquire new skills and improve through
practice was likely shaped by his years as a baseball player. He's played all
through high school and is one of the team's most valuable players. In his
nal for our class, Joe designed an impressive project calculating and
analyzing batting averages. While he initially described himself as not a math
person, Joe reaped the bene ts of his tremendous e ort and found a way to
make the subject come alive for him in a way that he was personally invested
in. As a teacher, it is incredibly ful lling to witness a student make this kind of
academic and personal progress.

Joe is a trustworthy, reliable, good-humored student and friend who


supports others in and out of the classroom. He was a pleasure to have in
class, and his positive attitude and belief in himself, even in the face of
di culty, is an immensely admirable asset. I'm con dent that he will continue
to demonstrate the same diligence, perseverance, and optimism that he
showed myself and his peers. I highly recommend Joe for admission to your
undergraduate program. Please feel free to contact me with any further
questions at fortheloveofalgebra@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Mr. Wiles, Math Teacher, Euclid High School

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Заметки:
Mr. Wiles пишет сильное письмо для Джо, с тем же энтузиазмом и
конкретными примерами, что и три других письма. Несмотря на то, что
Джо, возможно, не получил самых сильных оценок в своем классе
математики, он нашел восторженного рекомендателя в своем учителе
математики. Mr. Wiles был чрезвычайно впечатлен отношением Джо,
усилиями и настроем на рост, которые он демонстрировал в течение
всего года и вдохновлял своих одноклассников.

Mr. Wiles сосредотачивается на существенных личных достоинствах


Джо, которые, вероятно, будут впечатлять его будущих учителей. Даже
в том, что может оказаться для него неестественным, Джо прилежен и
предан делу. Он не стесняется задавать вопросы или искать
дополнительную помощь, и он сохраняет твердую веру в себя, что он
может постоянно учиться, совершенствоваться и приобретать новые
навыки.

Это письмо, как и другие, эффективно, потому что оно


сфокусировано, поддерживает и подкреплено примерами. Как вы
можете видеть из этих примеров, рекомендации могут многое
рассказать о студенте. Из - за этого они могут оказать мощное влияние
на шансы студента на поступление. Итак, что могут сделать учителя и
студенты, чтобы убедиться, что они посылают сильное
рекомендательное письмо, которое поможет их шансам?


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Использованные ресурсы
Оригинальная статья от MIT Перевод этой статьи Пример Brag Sheet (рус)

Книга-инструкция hey College Essay Guy Guide

Пример Brag Sheet (англ)


admissionmom (Chapter 8) (for teachers)

College Essay Guy Guide


Примеры 4 шикарных UniversitieS Telegram-канал
(for students) рекомендательных писем

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