Letter of Recommendation Template

The Letter of Recommendation Guides provides an overview and helpful tips and tricks on how to optimize your letters of recommendation.

This template will help you navigate the communication with your recommenders to yield a high-quality recommendation:

• Resume: Give them the same one you plan to submit with your application.
• Statement of purpose: Your recommenders need to know how you are presenting yourself in your application. If you haven’t written a statement of purpose yet, provide them with a rough outline of what you plan to say.
• Talking points: If you want your recommender to comment on a specific project you managed or an assignment you worked on, let them know. Remind them of examples they can use to highlight your skills and abilities.
• A list of schools: Tell them which schools you are applying to and why you chose them.
• A list of deadlines: Ask for recommendations well in advance of deadlines. If you do need a recommendation in a hurry, ask in person and explain the time constraint.
• Instructions for how to submit. Be sure to explain how your recommenders should submit the letter once it’s ready, either through the business school’s online system or by mail. If your schools required mailed letter, include envelopes and postage. Your recommenders will appreciate any steps you take to lighten their load.