Jjj Gggggg hghjsahfijhise Appendix G Sample Letters of Recommendation

A. For an excellent student whom you know well January 17, 2 7 !t is a true "leasure for me to write this letter of recommendation for #andra Garcia, who was my student in #ociology 11$, %!ntroduction to #ociology,& in the winter term of 2 '. #andra is, with(out )uestion, one of the four or fi*e most outstanding students ! ha*e taught at +ig #tate ,ni*ersity in six semesters of teaching. #andra is a careful and creati*e thinker with an eye for details and a de*otion to logic, which ser*es her well -oth in the sciences and outside them. #he has the terrific a-ility to draw on her own ex"eri(ence and o-ser*ations to de*elo" thoughtful o"inions on a *ariety of issues. #andra already knew she wanted to major in -iology when she took my course, -ut this did not diminish her intellectual curiosity a-out the to"ics we co*ered in introductory sociology. .er regular contri-utions to full(class discussions "ro*ided insight -oth for her "eers and for me as an instructor. #andra was also in*alua-le in small(grou" interaction with her "eers. /ithout my asking, she took on the res"onsi-ility of hel"ing her classmates consolidate *ast amounts of information into coher(ent sets of ideas, and she )uickly -ecame a study grou" leader. !n addition, #andra was *ery generous with her time and energies. ! remem-er her meeting indi*idually with a student from 0hailand se*eral times -efore the final exam to hel" him master all the material in a foreign tongue. #andra -reaks the %scientist& stereoty"e with her writing1 she was the -est writer in the two sections ! taught that semester. And what was "erha"s e*en more im"ressi*e was that she took the task of im"ro*ing her writing as or more seriously than any other student in the class. 2ne of her essays was later "u-lished in the annual maga3ine of the -est undergraduate essays written in sociology. #andra is not only an excellent student, -ut she is also "ersonally delightful. #he is as comforta-le with herself as she is engaging, "leasant, and humorous. As ! got to know #andra o*er the semester, ! -ecame only more im"ressed -y the wide range of her a-ilities4and -y her modesty a-out them. #he is an accom"lished musi(cian and scientist, -oth of which she does with a "assion rare in undergraduates. ! wholeheartedly recommend #andra as a "ros"ecti*e medical school student. !n fact, ! can think of few students whom ! would recommend as highly. #he will add a great deal to any incoming medical school class. ! can also en*ision #andra as a highly com"e(tent and caring doctor someday, which ! say as a high com"liment indeed. 5lease contact me if there is anything else ! can do on her -ehalf. #incerely,

5eter #e*ers, 6.A. Graduate #tudent !nstructor +. For a good student whom you do not know well $ January 2 7 ! am "leased to recommend 7atasha 8incaid for admission to the 0eacher 9ducation 5rogram. 7atasha was my student in +iology 21 :;ell +iology<, and she "ro*ed to -e a model student. #he is extremely conscientious a-out her work and a-out attending class and la-. +ecause of her hard work, she consistently scored in the to" ten "ercent on all the exams and "ro-lem sets. .er work demonstrates an attention to detail and an a-ility to integrate material to create larger frameworks for discussion. 7atasha made intelligent and insightful contri-utions during full(class discussion, -ut it was in la- that her enthusiasm and teaching a-ilities shone. After the first week, she -ecame the leader of her la- grou", and ! would often see her "atiently ex"laining a "rocedure or a conce"t to her la- mates :and often those in the neigh-oring la- grou" as well=<. #he took the initiati*e to organi3e and lead class re*iews -efore the exams, and other students told me afterwards how hel"ful these sessions were. ! -elie*e that 7atasha>s strong academic a-ilities and her clear dedi(cation to teaching make her a *ery strong candidate for the 0eacher 9ducation 5rogram. !f there are any )uestions ! can answer, "lease feel free to contact me. 6rinal 6ukherjee

Graduate #tudent !nstructor ;. For an a*erage student ? June 2 7

! am "leased to write a letter of recommendation for George Gum" as "art of his a""lication to dentistry school. As George>s instructor for 6ath 2?$ :#et 0heory<, ! found him to -e a conscientious and hardworking student. 0he course was not re)uired for George>s major@ he took it out of intellectual interest, and he a""roached the material with the same curiosity and determination that he a""lies in -iology and medicine. George>s work on the "ro-lem sets and exams demonstrated careful attention to detail. .e was also a-le and willing to articulate his )uestions a-out the more a-stract notions of set theory, a genuine asset for many of his classmates and the class dynamic as a whole. George is an extremely "ersona-le young man who seems e)ually comforta-le with his "eers and with faculty. .e has talked with me a-out his goal of -ecoming a dentist, and ! ha*e enjoyed seeing such enthusiasm in an undergraduate a-out a "rofessional career. George>s commitment to the field and his hard work in "ursuing his goals will ser*e him well in dentistry school. 5lease contact me if ! can answer any further )uestions. #incerely,

8elly Atkins, 5h.A. Becturer