Harvard Recommendation Letter Writing Guide 2024

Getting yourself admitted to an esteemed university like Harvard is a prestigious affair indeed.

Are you ready with your Harvard recommendation letter?

As you know, global students face a challenging competition while seeking admission at Harvard University. With the institution slashing its acceptance rate below 5%, your Harvard letter of recommendation can make the difference!

So, how do you plan to get your LOR for Harvard drafted?

If you are not sure how to write a letter of recommendation writing service for Harvard University, SOPConsultants gave got you covered in this guide.

learn everything you need to know about writing letter of recommendation for Harvard university admission
HARVARD RECOMMENDATION LETTER WRITING GUIDE

What is a Harvard Recommendation Letter? Why is Your Harvard LOR So Crucial?

A Harvard recommendation letter is an endorsement document that recommends you for the desired course at Harvard University. Generally, this institute requires applicants to submit two letters of recommendations in different disciplines from their teachers, professors, or mentors.

Along with hard factors such as your GPA and grades, the admission committee at Harvard University scrutinizes soft factors like your Harvard LOR while considering your profile. Amidst stiff competition in the academic circuit, writing a powerful recommendation letter can help you break the ice!

With competition raging tough in the academic field, a well-crafted Harvard letter of recommendation can get you through. No wonder, why successful candidates scrutinize recommendation letter sample Harvard carefully before getting their endorsement letters drafted.

Questions to Consider Before You Draft Your Harvard Recommendation Letter

Before you approach your professor, mentor, or a professional writer to get your Harvard recommendation letter drafted, consider these questions to gain clarity. Discussing these HBS letter of recommendation questions will help the writer customize your endorsement letter.

What is the admission committee looking for?

In the first place, it’s imperative to research on the institute and find out what exactly the admission committee is looking for. When you dig into the details of the discipline and the eligibility criteria, you can get your HBS letter of recommendation customized.

What to include in the two Harvard recommendation letters?

Since you need to furnish two LORs for getting admitted to Harvard University, chalk out what each letter should include. It’s logical not to overlap information in these two letters. Rather, they should complement each other. This way, writing a customized recommendation letter for Harvard can help you balance your profile.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Before your professor or a creative agency develops your Harvard recommendation letter, talk to them regarding your strengths and weaknesses. Discuss with your endorser how he or she plans to cover up your shortcomings, if any.

Do you have any special achievements?

When you check out a Harvard recommendation letter sample, you will notice that professional writers strategically contextualize the achievements of the applicants in these documents. Now, think of any special feats that you gained in the academic field or extracurricular activities. Including this in your Harvard reference letter would make your profile versatile.

What are your short and long-term goals?

While drafting your Harvard university recommendation letter, your mentor, professor, or HOD needs to mention your ambitions in the selected field. So, discuss your short and long-term goals with the LOR writer. This will help you get your Harvard letter of recommendation tailored to perfection.

What Do Admissions Officers Look in a Harvard Recommendation Letter?

Reading a Harvard letter of recommendation sample will help you understand what admission officers look for in these documents.

In general, the admission committee evaluates these aspects:

Depth of relationship:

How deep the relation between the endorser and the candidate is.

Growth potential:

The candidate’s potential to grow and explore his/her area of interest.

Interests:

The applicant’s interests and how they complement his/her professional goals.

Examples:

Practical evidence to demonstrate your skills and abilities.

Professionalism:

The language in which your Harvard letter of recommendation has been drafted.

HARVARD RECOMMENDATION LETTER WRITING GUIDE

How Long Should Harvard Recommendation Letters Be?

While drafting a recommendation letter Harvard, the endorser need not adhere to any specific length or word count. What matters most to the admission authorities of Harvard University is the quality of the LOR rather than length or size.

In general, your LOR should be more than half a page of A4 size, but not exceed one full page. When you check out a Harvard letter of recommendation example, you would find the word count to range between 300 to 600.

Harvard Recommendation Letter Sample

We have provided you with a practical recommendation letter sample Harvard. On reading this LOR, you will get an idea on how you should go about drafting these endorsement letters. Make sure not to copy anything from this LOR in your endorsement letter. It can lead to rejection of your application.

This HBS recommendation letter sample is simply meant to help applicants understand the choice of words, tone, and details to include in the LOR.

Harvard LOR Sample

To whom it may concern

It’s a great pleasure for me to endorse my beloved student, Dhiraj Sharma for the program he is applying for at your esteemed university. Myself Joseph Green, I have been academically associated with Dhiraj as an assistant professor for the last couple of years. It’s on the basis of this connection with my student that I got to know his academic strengths and professional goals.

I am happy to endorse Dhiraj for the MBA program in HRM. I am also confident that a deserving candidate like him would be privileged to study at Harvard University. Given that I have taken his classes on cost accounting, management accounting, and financial management, I am aware of his strengths and aspirations.

Dhiraj was a regular attendee to my classes. During my lectures, I was impressed with his spirit to learn. He was always energetic and interactive in the classroom. Besides, he significantly strengthened peer learning by sharing his knowledge and practical experiences. Our association strengthened during the final year of his course, and often Dhiraj used to approach me outside the classroom. I remember talking about leadership traits that make unicorns, and Dhiraj always showed enthusiasm in honing soft skills that could mould his profile.

Particularly, all the professors were happy with his ability to evaluate problematic areas and come up with tactical solutions. At times, Dhiraj used to stay back in the campus late in the evening with his like-minded batchmates. It was good to see him remaining obsessed with financial cases that were a bit more advanced than the curriculum we had rolled out.

Dhiraj was equally proactive in cocurricular activities. He captained our basketball team and fetched us the medal in inter-college competitions. Besides, we all appreciated his ability to lead teams, maintain discipline, and organize events through collaboration and teamwork. I am confident that he will transform these soft skills as he transforms himself in the professional circuit and braces up to put on the hat of a business manager.

A globally recognized platform like yours would be ideal for Dhiraj to cultivate his professional skills. The holistic academic environment that Harvard University is known for would leverage his skills, pushing him towards excellence in his professional circuit. Therefore, I strongly endorse Dhiraj for this course and wish him all the very best for a happening future. The advanced program at your esteemed university will make a positive difference in his learning curve.

Feel free to contact me for any additional information that would help Dhiraj to make his way into your revered institution. I would be obliged to help you with the same.

 

Sincerely,

Joseph Green,

Assistant Professor,

Symbiosis University

Phone number:

Email:

Guidelines for Harvard recommendation letter Samples

complete steps to write a powerful letter of recommendation for Harvard university

Steps to Write Your Harvard Letter of Recommendation

Follow these six steps to draft powerful Harvard university letters of recommendation.

Gather necessary information

To keep your Harvard recommendation letter organized, collect the desired information at the outset. For instance, you should know the designation and name of the person to whom the LOR would be addressed. Also, identify your achievements, strengths, and career aspirations so that the endorser can personalize your Harvard recommendation letter.

Establish a relation

The relationship between the recommender and the candidate largely determines the impact of the LOR. Just like the recommendation letter sample Harvard, the endorser needs to introduce the candidate in the first paragraph and explain the depth of their association.

Highlight unusual skills

After the endorser goes through the Harvard recommendation letter requirements, the person should try to highlight your unique strengths. This way, you won’t end up submitting a generic LOR.

Share anecdotes

Sharing anecdotes can breathe life into your Harvard recommendation letter. You may have noticed while reading the letter of recommendation sample Harvard that powerful LORs carry anecdotes and real-life experiences. Including these stories practically demonstrate the skills of the student.

Contextualize events

It’s logical to contextualize relevant incidents that would hail the profile of the applicant. The admission committee gets to know the student better when the Harvard letter of recommendation talks about relevant incidents.

Powerful conclusion

Writing a memorable conclusion is what wordsmiths do. Unless the impact of words in your LOR is profound enough, you won’t get selected for your course. So, your endorser should be a good wordsmith, capable of spinning the magic with words.

Who Should Write Your Harvard Recommendation Letters?

Reach out to a professor who knows you well to get your Harvard recommendation letter drafted. If you are applying for a graduate program, approach teachers who taught you in the 11th or 12th grades.

If you are applying for a Master’s program, approach your college HOD since the person is familiar with your learning curve. In a nutshell, get your Harvard letter of recommendation drafted by someone who is in a position to highlight your strengths.

Steps to Write Your Harvard Letter of Recommendation

Final Checklist for Drafting Your Harvard Letter of Recommendation

Final Checklist for Drafting Your Harvard Letter of Recommendation

Dos and Don'ts in your Harvard LOR

Dos

Don’ts

Tips for Writing a Harvard LOR

Tips for Writing a Harvard LOR

Conclusion

With this comprehensive guide on how to write your Harvard recommendation letter, you should be well-poised to draft one.

Consider reaching out to a professional writer to get your LOR crafted to perfection.

After all, experience has no substitute, and you can qualify for your program with professional writers drafting your LOR.

FAQ's

A recommendation letter for Harvard is a document written by someone who knows you well academically, professionally, or personally and can vouch for your qualities and abilities. It is important because it provides insight into your character and qualifications, helping the admissions committee evaluate your suitability for Harvard.

Harvard typically requires two letters of recommendation. However, it’s essential to check the specific requirements on their admissions website, as these guidelines can change.

A strong recommendation letter should include specific examples of your achievements, character, and skills. It should highlight your strengths, work ethic, and potential contributions to the Harvard community.

When requesting a recommendation letter, do so politely and provide your recommender with ample time and information. Share your academic and career goals and any specific points you’d like them to mention in the letter.

It is generally recommended to waive your right to see recommendation letters, as this demonstrates trust in your recommenders and can make the letter more credible to admissions committees.

Harvard typically requests two recommendation letters. While you can submit additional letters if you believe they add significant value, it’s essential to follow Harvard’s specific guidelines and only include extra letters when they provide unique insights.

Recommendation letters play a vital role in providing context and personalizing your application. They allow the admissions committee to gain a deeper understanding of your qualifications and potential as a Harvard student.

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