Letter of Recommendation (LOR) for USA: Requirements & Writing Tips

A Letter of Recommendation (LOR) forms an important part of your application as it helps the admissions committee (Ad Com) assess your profile holistically from another person’s perspective. It is no secret to the admissions committee that applicants tend to exaggerate or lie about their experiences in their documents like the statement of purpose (SOP), essay, or even the resume. However, when it comes to LORs, applicants cannot bend the truth as these documents are signed and sponsored by referees or recommenders that have known the applicants closely. Thus, it becomes the recommender’s responsibility when endorsing an applicant for admission to any university.

This is why a LOR forms a positive impression on the admissions committee and its decision because it allows them to assess your capabilities and attributes for the course you have applied for from the referee’s perspective. Generally, at least two LORs are required for top universities in USA. Some universities may ask for specific LORs from specific recommenders depending on the programme and course you are applying for, such as MBA courses require at least one professional LOR and MS LORs and UG LORs should be from academic backgrounds. At most, universities require three LORs, while a few universities may ask for more than three LORs, but this is usually up to the applicant. Similarly, LORs for PhD should be academic LORs that demonstrate the applicant’s ability and potential for research and interest in the subject/field of study.

LOR for USA: Writing Tips

Applicants should ensure that each LOR contains the referee’s nature of association with them. For instance, if the referee is a professor, then the following things should be covered in the introduction itself:

• In what capacity do they know the applicant?
• Subject/s taught and during which semester or year
• Years of association with the applicant
• How was the referee able to evaluate the applicant’s ability?
• Comparison with other students with similar background/abilities

The next point to remember is that every attribute mentioned should be highlighted and backed by some proof or situation. For example, if the referee is talking about teamwork then mention any such instance where the referee was able to judge or witness this attribute in the applicant. A student’s potential/capability must be highlighted by a supporting instance so that it produces a greater impression on the admissions officers. Another important point is to remember that merely listing out qualities or attributes adds no value to the document. Every quality should be accompanied by a supporting instance.

Moreover, it is imperative to choose the right recommender because it determines what kind of recommendations can be produced. As discussed above, if anything is found amiss or the recommender fails to highlight the best attributes in the applicant, then admission chances may be affected. The right recommender should have the time to examine an applicant’s ability within the scope of their association. He or she must have worked or interacted with the applicant and should have shared a cordial relationship with him/her. It is not necessary to get a LOR from someone in a position of high authority or designation, such as the Chairman, CEO or Principal. A LOR from your reporting manager or professor with whom you have had a good interaction can prove to be more valuable, rather than a LOR from a CEO or Dean who has not even interacted with you. In short, the LORs should come from recommenders who have observed you, worked with or mentored you for a significant period of time. In this way, they can comment and highlight your abilities based on their close or direct association with you.

LOR for USA: How many LORs are required for universities in the USA?

This is one of the most common questions that applicants have when they begin their application process. Applicants should know that they will be asked to submit two to three academic LORs or professional LORs, depending upon their choice of programme and course. Top universities like MIT or Columbia University ask UG students to subject-specific LORs and at least one LOR from a school counsellor. At least one academic LOR is mandatory to apply for MS courses along with one professional LOR if work experience is mandatory for the selected course. US universities prefer professional LORs for MBA and other management courses. For applicants just out of college without any work experience, academic LORs are accepted. However, one can also submit a LOR from one's internship period.

LOR for USA: LOR Requirements in Top US Universities

Overall, the guidelines for writing LOR for US universities are similar to that of a generic LOR. The only difference is in the number and type of LOR requirements specified by the university. Let’s have a look at some top US universities and their basic LOR requirements:

University	LOR for UG Courses	LOR for MS/MBA Courses
University of Pennsylvania	1 LOR: School Counselor 2 LORs: Subject Teachers	MS: 2 LORs, one academic MBA: 2 LORs, professional
Princeton University	1 LOR: School Counselor 2 LORs: Subject Teachers	MS: 3 academic LORs
Columbia University	2 LORs: Subject Teachers, 1 LOR: Math or Science Teacher	MS: 3 LORs, one professional and one academic MBA: 2 professional LORs
University of Chicago	At least two LORs 1 LOR: Subject Teacher	MS: 3 LORs, one academic and one professional MBA: 2 professional LORs
Yale University	1 LOR: School Counselor 2 LORs: Subject Teachers	MS: 2/3 LORs, one academic MBA: 2 professional LORs
Cornell University	One LOR from School Counselor	MS: 2/3 LORs, one academic MBA: one professional LOR
California Institute of Technology	1 LOR: Math or Science Teacher 1 LOR: Social Studies or Humanities Teacher	MS: 3 LORs, one academic Professional LOR also accepted
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	1 LOR: School Counselor  1 LOR: Humanities Teacher 1 LOR: Math or Science Teacher	MS: 3 LORs, two academic MBA: one professional LOR
Harvard University	Two LORs from Subject Teachers	MS: 3 LORs, one academic MBA: 2 professional LORs
Stanford University	Two LORs from Subject Teachers	MS: 3 LORs, two academic MBA: 2 professional LORs

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