LOR Format - Tips, Purpose, Types

LOR Formats - Candidates submit the Letter of recommendation for university admissions or job applications. There are no specific formats for LOR that must be followed. The LOR which has to be submitted either for a job or for applying for master's, MBA, PhD, or any other courses can follow the general LOR format. Added to that few universities share the guidelines for the LOR, which state the information of LOR format for students, submission, and preparation, these guidelines can be followed for each LOR separately depending on the university. Candidates can check for these guidelines in the official University website or in the instructions for admission application. The articles guide you to draft a good Letter of recommendation with the LOR formats, samples, and a few more essential things.

What is a Letter of Recommendation?

The LOR is a letter that recommends a candidate for a specific program or position like college admissions or job applications. The LOR provides the overview of the candidate's academic knowledge, skills, strengths, achievements, personality, and professional details suitable to the applied program. With the help of LOR, the selection committee will be able to understand the candidate's eligibility and suitability for the program. The details of each section which are to be included in the LOR will be discussed in the LOR formats.

Purpose of LOR in University applications?

Students from worldwide apply to universities abroad. As the academic curriculum duration, course, and procedures can differ from country to country, the LOR helps the admission committee to know whether the student's profile can match with the current applied program.

Types of Letter of Recommendation

Based on the recommender the LOR can be classified into two types. They are -

Academic LOR

The candidate can acquire an academic LOR from their university professors under whom they graduated or have direct mentoring exposure. The Academic LOR should emphasize the student's academic achievements, skill sets, and personal characteristics which helps in better understanding the student’s abilities and thinking. It can also mention the extracurricular potential and activities performed by the candidate. It is always best to describe the information with past achievements that can outline the candidate’s focus, passion, motivation, research ability, and problem-solving skills for the intended work by describing with real type scenarios that had happened in the graduation.

Professional LOR

A professional LOR is provided by the team lead, supervisor, client, or any coworker from a company or organization. The LOR includes the details of tasks, roles, and responsibilities carried out in the previous project and showcases the achievements. The experienced candidate can submit the professional LOR if they have relevant work experience. Fresher students can also submit the professional LOR if they have done any internships.

Essential Things to be Considered in LOR Formats

• Word Limit - The word limit for the SOP is around 300 to 500 words, varying on the requirement.

• Font - Times New Roman and Font size 12.

• Number of Paragraphs - 3 to 5 (can vary)

• Pages Limit - One page

• Paper Size - A4 sheet paper

• Spacing - Use double spacing between the lines which is convenient for reading.

• LOR guidelines - Follow the LOR guidelines provided by the recipient university if any or else stick to the general LOR format explained below.

• Prepare on Letter-head - For an academic LOR, prepare the LOR on College or university letterhead, similarly for a professional LOR use the company’s letterhead.

LOR Formats

In the LOR preparation process, following a proper LOR format for students makes it look presentable and easier to prepare. Students can share the LOR formats and basic drafts with their professors to save valuable time which is lost in researching the data. The general LOR format is applicable for all the other letters of recommendation like the LOR format for masters, MBAs, PhD, or any other course respectively.

One of the general LOR formats is discussed below -

A LOR varies based on the purpose and the context for which it is used, however, a basic structure of a LOR may have the following sections.

Introduction - Start the letter with general greetings and in the introduction paragraph include the details of the recommender with their name, profession, and institution or company name and provide expertise and the established professional relation with the candidate. Mentioning the duration or time period from how long the recommender knows the candidate/student, leaves a positive impression on the reader in terms of credibility. One can also state the reason for providing the LOR for the candidate in the particular program or university.

First Paragraph - Highlight the academic background and accomplishments of the candidate. Mention the achievements of the candidate in the field they are applying. Talk about the strengths, specific qualities, skills, weaknesses, and commitment towards their work or study phase with examples or situation experiences. Describe the attitude of the candidate in performing in any projects or research or while achieving any academic excellence.

Second paragraph - Emphasize their relevance to the desired opportunity or position. Mention the academic achievements and their outcomes or any other relevant accomplishments that showcase their abilities and potential. One can even attach them as proof. This helps in establishing a connection with the position for which the candidate has opted.

Third paragraph - Mention the personal qualities of the candidates. Apart from the professional achievements it is worth mentioning the individual qualities, such as their extracurricular activities, behavior, and the nature of the person. Enlighten the candidate's qualities by providing any observations noticed in their journey. Provide testimony of the student’s work ethics and their commitment towards the work and self-improvement.

Conclusion Paragraph - Provide the conviction in the candidate and summarize that he/she is the perfect fit for the role, and also state how the program benefits the candidate's career. Include the official email address and phone number of the recommender, so that the admission committee can reach back to the recommender in case of further information. Close the letter with end greetings and provide the recommender's name and signature.

The LOR formats or structure can be adjusted by clubbing the first or second or third paragraphs according to the word limit or requirement. For a better understanding of the LOR format for MS, candidates can check the sample LOR for MS as a reference.

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Tips for writing for LOR

The common LOR tips for writing a LOR are stated below.

• Research - Recommenders can research the course and college while writing the LOR and accordingly highlight the skill set of the candidate by narrating with real-time scenarios that outstood in the academic carrier of the candidate

• Three skills per one LOR - As the candidate submits two to three LORs for the one application, it would sound boring if all three LOR stated the same. It is advisable to state three to four separate skills for every LOR.

• Precise Information - As the word limit is less, place the point concisely and clearly with no extra information outside the purpose.

• Balanced Perspective - A decent LOR should focus on both the positives and negatives of the candidate and should provide a balanced perspective.

• Be truthful in the information - Always remember to represent LOR with truth and honesty. Faking the candidate's skills or strengths doesn't bring up any advantage.

• Customize the LOR - Don’t use the same LORs for all applications. Based on course, college, and country, each LOR should be customized for the candidate.