Introduction
Introduction jls164Action indeed is the sole medium of expression in ethics.
I give context to the ethical issues surrounding letters of recommendation by summarizing three breaches of ethics by students:
- A graduate student, suspecting an unflattering evaluation by an advisor based on another grad student’s tip, successfully hacks into the advisor’s computer to read a copy of the letter. The advisor is never aware of the student’s act, and the letter written on the student’s behalf does turn out to be negative.
- A graduate student, after being denied access to a confidential credentials file, breaks into the graduate office to Xerox the file. The university police become involved and the student is discovered, then kicked out of the program.
- An undergraduate collects the requested letter of reference in a signed, sealed envelope and becomes nervous about its potential contents. Before sending the letter off to the target graduate program, the student tears open the envelope and reads the favorable letter, then—relieved—sheepishly places the letter in a new sealed envelope with a forged signature across the back.
All these are true accounts that I was privy to in my 20 years of university teaching, and they underscore just how desperate some students become about letters of recommendation, and how some will even take foolish risks just to find out what we’ve written about them.
I have encountered many more typical scenarios, though, where both student and letter writer are uplifted by the process:
- A graduate student writes a letter of recommendation for the first time, and finds that a 30-minute interview with the student improves the detail of the letter and helps the student win a national scholarship.
- A faculty member writes a graduating senior a glowing letter that also includes one paragraph of criticism, and discusses the criticism with him as a way to point the student towards self-improvement.
- An alumna keeps her mentor informed once a year on her progress even six years after her graduation, and thus her mentor is able to write several informed, detailed reference letters for her as new opportunities arise.
These positive examples and others tell us that recommendation letters are not mere formalities involving “paying back favors” we once received from others, nor are they simply redundant paperwork we complete to help students advance—letters of recommendation offer us lessons about relationships (or their lack), growth, power and empowerment, professionalism, attitude, protocol, communication, ethos, and trust. To understand them fully, then, we must consider that the process and act of writing recommendation letters can have a powerful ethical component. This chapter is devoted to fleshing out the ethical issues related to recommendation letter writing, and offering proven strategies on how to address them.
Further Study
The video and website below give solid broad overviews of issues to consider when you write recommendation letters:
Introduction
Thank you, Rob. Again, my name is Bob Patterson, and I'm the Vice President of College Outreach here at Zinch.
I've spent about 16 years in higher education, most recently as the Director of Admission at Stanford. Prior to that, I was the Deputy Director of Admission at UC Berkeley; before that, I was at UNC–Chapel Hill; and before that, I was at the University of Pittsburgh. I was also previously at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, a regional campus of the University of Pittsburgh.
Throughout my 16 years, I've done a lot of outreach with high school counselors, teachers, and students about preparing successful applications. One of the topics that's rarely talked about is how to write an effective teacher recommendation or letter of support for a student.
Many teachers are asked to do this throughout the year, yet many are never formally trained during their preparation programs on how to write a letter of support or recommendation. But as many of you know, you're asked for these multiple times during the year—by juniors, seniors, and for scholarship programs, study abroad programs, gap year programs… you name it. I'm sure you're being asked to write letters of support, and the question often comes up: Is it really evaluated? Do admissions offices really read the letters of support?
The answer is yes. It becomes a very critical component for institutions when they ask for that letter of support.
How Teacher Recommendations Are Used
Today we're going to talk about ways you can enhance the letter of support or teacher recommendation so that students have the best opportunity to be successful in the admissions process.
At Pittsburgh, the teacher recommendation was a key factor for students applying to the Honors Program and for scholarship consideration. At UNC–Chapel Hill, it was used for scholarships and honors programs, and heavily for out-of-state applicants.
At Berkeley, teacher recommendations were not accepted as part of the standard application, but about 5–8% of students went through an augmented review. If the admissions committee wanted more information, they would request two letters of support from teachers or community leaders.
At Stanford, teacher recommendations were a critical component. With an admit rate around 6%, students often had strong academics, SAT/ACT/TOEFL scores, and extensive extracurriculars. The teacher recommendation added an additional layer of academic insight. We would highlight specific parts of the recommendation during committee review. The admissions officer would discuss the application, then say, “Here’s what the teachers are saying,” and those comments became part of the vote.
It is a valuable piece of the application process at all types of institutions.
With that, I'm going to turn this over to David Meredith. He’ll introduce himself and walk you through the important part. Dave is currently in higher education. I left higher education to join Zinch so I could have a broader reach through webinars and programs for students, teachers, and counselors. Hopefully this will be helpful for you. I’ll be back at the end to answer questions.
The Importance of Recommendation Letters
Thanks, Bob, and thank you everybody for taking time out of your day to join us. As Bob said, I've been in higher education for quite a while—20-some years—in a variety of settings: the Honors Program at the University of Cincinnati, undergraduate admissions at UNC–Chapel Hill where I worked alongside Bob, and now at the University of New Orleans, where Admissions and Financial Aid work together across several areas.
We often get the question: Do you really read these letters? And I can’t stress enough—yes, we do. They are a very important part of our review.
Someone once said—and I wish I remembered who—that colleges aren’t looking to admit a transcript; they’re looking to admit a person. The person comes through in the recommendation letter.
You may spend long nights agonizing over phrasing and wondering whether it’s worth it. From an admissions standpoint—it absolutely is. There’s only so much you can glean from a test score, transcript, or list of extracurriculars. We’re trying to determine: What will this student be like in our classroom? Will professors enjoy having them? Will peers benefit from working with them?
Recommendation letters are a key part of how colleges understand that.
Guiding Students on How to Ask for Recommendations
The first thing I recommend is helping students by developing a “how-to guide” for requesting recommendations. Just as teachers rarely receive formal training in writing letters, students have no idea how to ask for one.
You’ve likely experienced this: “Mr. Smith, Mrs. Jones, can you write me a recommendation letter? It’s due tomorrow.”
A simple one-page guide can reinforce deadlines, timelines, and expectations. It can also include a space for students to list their key highlights, class connections, and what they want the teacher to emphasize. This helps you tremendously, especially when students return years later for recommendations.
Stick to What You Know
Teachers often struggle with what to include. The simple rule:
Write about how you know the student.
If you know them in the classroom, focus on that. If they're in your club, focus on that. Admissions offices get lists of extracurriculars elsewhere; we don’t need a repeat of the laundry list. Focus on the context in which you know the student.
Focus on Specifics
This is one of the most impactful ways to strengthen a recommendation letter.
For example:
“Steve has been one of the best students I've ever taught.”
versus
“Steve is one of the best students I've taught because he isn’t afraid to wrestle with challenging concepts.”
The second sentence tells us something tangible. The more detail and specific examples you provide, the better.
Use Examples
Avoid catchphrases like “love of learning,” “thirst for knowledge,” or “Renaissance student.” Those have become boilerplate. Instead, tell a story.
Stories show how students participate, lead, question, reflect, collaborate, or elevate discussions. These details help us see a three-dimensional person, not just a transcript.
Honesty and Accuracy
If you truly don’t know a student well, or if they weren’t particularly strong, honesty (with care) is the best policy. Avoid over-inflation, but avoid being overly negative.
Most importantly, avoid errors: mismatched names, incorrect pronouns, or copy-paste mistakes. Those undermine credibility more than anything.
Length of Letters
Length does not equal quality. A strong, focused paragraph is better than a page of fluff. Some schools mandate two pages, but admissions officers can always see where the “real” letter ends and the padding begins.
Focus on the Student
Avoid spending long paragraphs listing your own awards or accomplishments. The only exception is when your experience provides meaningful context, such as:
“In my 23 years of teaching, Sally is among the top students I've taught.”
Ask Questions
Always ask students what the letter is for—admissions, scholarships, honors programs, special opportunities. Tailoring your letter helps both them and you.
When You Don’t Know the Student Well
Counselors especially face this challenge when caseloads include hundreds of students. In those cases:
- Be honest about your limited contact.
- Provide school context (e.g., counselor-to-student ratio).
- Request the student’s brag sheet.
- Collect short quotes from teachers.
- Redirect the student to someone who knows them better when needed.
Growth Areas and Less-Than-Ideal Students
Avoid harsh negativity. There is a difference between honesty and jeopardizing yourself or the student. You can phrase carefully:
“The student puts in the effort needed to earn the grades they achieve.”
Admissions officers can read between the lines.
Are Letters Compared Within a School?
Sometimes—especially when applications are read by territory. Teachers who reuse the same letter word-for-word across students risk weakening their impact.
Submitting Letters After the Deadline
The student’s portion must be on time. The teacher/counselor letters typically have a grace period, but the application must be complete before review or final decision release. If required letters aren't received, the application may be canceled.
Using Student Quotes in Letters
Yes, it’s fine to include direct quotations from a student’s brag sheet when relevant.
Examples of Great Recommendation Letters
Strong letters share:
- Specific classroom stories.
- Insightful context about the student’s challenges and growth.
- Clear, personal examples of engagement and impact.
Bob shared one example of a Stanford applicant whose counselor letter explained his recovery after being paralyzed at age 13. That context changed the committee’s view and contributed to his admission.
Sending Letters to Schools That Don’t Require Them
Some schools won’t read unrequested letters. Others will. Always check the school’s policy; admissions offices are usually transparent about whether supplemental letters will be reviewed.
Varying Letters for Different Colleges
If using the Common App, avoid naming specific colleges in the letter. Keep the tone consistent but adjust emphasis to the student’s strengths. For supplemental letters sent directly to individual schools, some customization is appropriate.
Closing Remarks
Thank you to everyone who attended. We had over 150 participants and appreciate the thoughtful questions and dialogue. Thank you to our presenters, David and Bob, for the valuable information.
We will send a follow-up with a recording of this presentation. Feel free to share it with teachers or counselors who may benefit.
Have a great rest of your day and enjoy the rest of your week.