I am/was a student at in one of your courses at Ecole polytechnique; could you write a Letter of Recomendation?

I see 100-300 mostly-excellent students per year; so unfortunately I simply cannot write anywhere near as many letters of recommendation as I get requests; because each one requires not only writing and re-writing/customising the letter (for each particular program you want to apply to), but also double-checking it, uploading it, and filling in the accompanying often-long web forms.

Gladly ask me for a letter of recommendation if any of the following match:

  1. You worked with me in the context of, e.g., in a bachelor thesis/internship/project course (such as INF517, CSE303); or

  2. You were among the top performing students in a course I was teaching; or

  3. you did fairly well in a course I was teaching (got an 'A') and were particularly involved (attended lectures, asked questions, initiated in-class discussion, etc).

And that you have not left it too late to ask (at some point I run out of time to write letters, even if one or more of the above). And that you have been as selective as possible (5 programs max).

I prefer to personalise the letter as best as possible. And according to my understading, this is the point of a letter of recommendation. If you want to talk about your grades in other courses, your motivation, etc., you normally have the option to include that information yourself in your application (in a letter of motivation or cover letter). There is no need for me to repeat the same information again in a separate letter. Of course, please provide me with a reminder/list of any points you would like me to emphasise, and justification of those points; but especially if it is relating to the interaction you had with me.

Typical questions that recommenders are asked to answer in a letter of recommendation (a small selection of questions I have been asked to answer in a letter; or in a form accompanying a letter):

  • How long and in what capacity have you known the applicant?

  • How does the applicant stand out from others in a similar capacity?

  • Please give an example of the applicant’s impact on a person, group, or organization.

  • Please give a representative example of how the applicant interacts and communicates with others, including peers and superiors.

  • Please give an example of how the applicant has synthesized and executed on an assigned task and/or mastered new material.

  • Which of the applicant’s personal or professional characteristics would you change?

  • Please tell us anything else you think we should know about this applicant.

  • Please write candidly about the applicant’s qualifications, potential to carry on advanced study in the field specified, intellectual independence, capability for analytical thinking, ability to organize and express ideas clearly, and potential for teaching.

  • Descriptions of significant actions, accomplishments, character, and personal qualities related to scholarly achievement are particularly helpful.

  • Please write candidly, analytically, and at length about the student’s qualifications and potential to carry on advanced study in the field specified.

  • Treatment of both strong and weak points will be most helpful in describing attributes such as motivation, intellect, maturity, and other relevant characteristics. Specific examples are far more useful than generalizations.

  • What particularly qualifies this applicant for study at …?

  • What are the applicant’s accomplishments in research or independent projects?

  • How does the applicant compare to other students you know who have attended …?

  • Can the student clearly communicate ideas in written and spoken English?

  • Do you have any reservations about the applicant’s ability to succeed at …?