Writing Letters of Recommendation for US Applications

This informal CPD article ‘Writing Letters of Recommendation for US Applications’ was provided by UES Education, specialists in international university and school admissions, working with top schools across the UK and Europe to provide a bespoke service for those who want the best possible application support in the UK.

Wondering how to strengthen your students’ applications to US universities? One-way teachers and university advisors can do this is through the letters of recommendation, an important component of US university applications. Unlike brief UCAS references, letters of recommendation offer an opportunity to provide detailed, personal insight that can set students apart from the pack.

Types of recommendation letter

There are two main types of letters of recommendation: teacher references and counsellor references. Teacher letters of recommendation should be written by a subject teacher; this need not be the teacher of the class in which a student has their best grades, but a teacher who knows the student well and can speak to their character, as well as their learning style and contributions to the classroom. Counsellor recommendations may be written by a dedicated US applications advisor, head of sixth form, or housemaster.

By highlighting the right things in their recommendations, teachers and counsellors can help students succeed in their US applications. According to a study in 2023 around 70% of US university applicants believe letters of recommendation have some sort of importance in their process (1). It is generally important for recommendation writers to be aware that both types of references should go beyond the academic and speak to students’ character. US universities typically see themselves as holistic communities, rather than purely academic institutions, and as such they are curious about who applicants are as people, and how they will engage with the overall university community.

Writing tips for teachers and counsellors

Below are some areas for subject teachers to keep in mind when writing:

Learning style: Avoid just listing grades, and instead describe how a student learns, their intellectual curiosity, and how they approach challenges or difficult topics.
Examples of engagement with the material: These should be specific and should feel in-depth. It should not feel as though the recommendation could have been written by a maths teacher if it’s a history recommendation, for example.
Examples of contributions: In US-style references, anecdotes are often key. Things like whether students led discussions, helped peers, and/or showed independent thought can make strong anecdotes.
Periods of difficulty: If a student struggled, it’s best to acknowledge this in a positive way. Explain the circumstances and how they persevered, focusing on highlighting resilience and character.
Be enthusiastic: Whilst it’s typical in British culture to be understated and avoid bragging, it’s common in US-style references to be very enthusiastic and positive about students.

The counsellor letter of recommendation should focus more on the bigger picture, and on the student’s overall character and contribution to the school community. Below are some tips:

Mention qualities: Avoid listing everything with which a student was involved at school, and try to comment on qualities like maturity, responsibility, initiative, relationships with peers, adaptability, creativity, leadership. Illustrate these qualities with an anecdote.
Comment on impact: How has the student positively influenced their peers or the school community?
Acknowledge challenges: if there are any biographical details that are relevant to a pupil struggling at school, acknowledge these with a focus on the positive and future potential.
Acknowledge who the student is in the context of the school and/or their cohort, and what the student will bring to the university community.
As with the counsellor letters of recommendation, be enthusiastic!

Final thoughts

One great way to ensure that teachers and counsellors have the material to write strong references is to encourage students to provide them with a ‘brag sheet’: a list of their main activities, interests, and accomplishments. Another way that futures departments can support teachers and counsellors in writing these references is by running a workshop on them. In the workshop, passing along the main tenets of good letters of recommendation, and providing some examples can set teachers up to write strong recommendations.

We hope this article was helpful. For more information from UES Education, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.

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