1、推荐信必须了解的重点 推荐信必须了解的重点 一、 推荐信的意义 推荐信，Reference Letter或Recommendation Letter，（以下简称RL）在留学申请中的重要性自不必说，很多时候一封牛推可能直接让你拿到dream school的offer；往小了说，一封充实可靠的RL也会给你的申请加分不少。因此，申请者们必须要重视推荐信的选取、写作和最后的提交过程。 二、 推荐信/推荐人的分类 关于推荐信的分类，可以这样看：首先是根据推荐人的不同分为国内和国外；而根据推荐信的内容又可以分为课程RL、科研RL、实习RL三类。根据同学们不同的申请目标，对于不同类型的推荐信的侧重点是不一样
2、的。 申请master要体现自己的综合背景：比较好的一个搭配是一位课程老师，一位科研老师，一位能够肯定你工作能力的老师，从三个不同的方面褒扬你。而一般学校也正是要求三位推荐人，如果你有实习，请你的实习负责人写推荐信当然也最好不过。特别是对于商科硕士，实习类推荐信的比重最好能够大一些。 如果是申请Ph.D.：最好3封推荐信都是与科研相关，如果科研成功不够丰富，则可以有一篇与课程相关，务必强调你的科研能力。 无论是申请master还是申请Ph.D.，推荐人和你的关系不仅仅局限在上课或是research或是其他能力，如果有这样的老师，你可以某一封推荐信里面两者都强调。除此之外，在推荐信中也可以穿插平
3、时表现，包括组织能力、个性特点等。 三、 找推荐信的误区 在找推荐人时，大家喜欢找自己所在院系的主任、院长来写，认为他们的名气大、职位高，这是一个比较常见的误区。首先，这些推荐人并不一定对你很了解，他们写出来的推荐信内容可能不是很充实、很有作用，其效果可能还不如找一个了解你的任课老师。其次，像职位较高如院长这样的推荐人，平时非常忙，不会固定时间去查看提交推荐信的邮件，所以很有可能会耽误时间，作为学生也不好去催促他们，最后非常尴尬。所以如果一定要找这样的推荐人，最好留出足够的时间，而且最好多找一个推荐人，以备不时之需。 四、 如何找一封牛推 牛推对于申请的作用是不言而喻的，一封牛推很可能能够直接
4、让申请者拿到dream school的offer，但我们要通过什么途径去找呢？ 首先是国际会议，同学们可以根据自己的专业和申请方向搜索一些感兴趣的会议，然后申请报名参加。在会议中会遇到一些相同方向的教授，大家会在一起交流。这时候，同学们可以抓住机会向教授展示自己，给他们留下一个不错的印象。 之后可以通过这个来套磁，定期跟教授交流一些自己的情况，如果能够套到教授的一些暑期实习，对于牛推就又近了一步。 不过这里需要注意的是：简单的交流不会给学生带来一封有内容且有质量的推荐信，但可能会开启一个科研或实习机会的大门，进而拿到一封牛推，并开阔自己的眼界，所以同学们尽可能的尝试。 五、 对于不同老师要推荐
5、信的流程 对于国内老师，首先你和老师说一下你要申请，需要对方帮你写推荐信。当然不是他真正地要“写出来”，而是你准备好草稿，然后给对方看一下。对于大多数老师，都比较有这方面的经验，但你还是需要给老师解释一下你是自己准备。如果老师同意的话，你把写好的推荐信给老师看一下。通常老师也不会做太大的改动。最后你要当面和老师交流一下推荐信问题，并且和老师确定一下是他给你网上提交，还是他给你link你自己提交。 对于国外老师，大多数都是自己写推荐信，找国外老师要推荐信你要谨慎，因为你不知道对方是否能给你写一封positive的推荐信。如果他对你的评价是negative的，这对你的申请是相当不利的，所以务必提前
6、和老师确定要写一封positive letter。 如果是暑期项目前问老师要推荐信，建议给老师准备一个packet，让对方更了解你，建议放以下的材料： a. A summary of research project you worked on b. A sheet of paper listing all related courses you have taken c. A list of extracurricular activities and awards/competitions d. Your statement of purpose (可能当时没有，这个可以之后再准备) e.
7、 学校专业名单list以及deadline 你把a、b、c、d、e放在一起，最上面要放上一张纸，内容包括： 1) a recent photo of you(怕老师不记得你的样子） 2)Directions:譬如告诉老师please address the reference letter by November 30，记住要给老师的deadline早于实际的deadline 3)confirmation information：譬如please send me email after you send this off. If I dont hear you by November 30th
8、, I will send you an email reminder.因为老师可能会忘记帮你提交，所以你提前这么写好，即使之后催他，他也不会厌烦的。 注意：大多数同学只在美国待一个暑假，9月份就回国。所以大家要提前在美国找一个靠谱的小伙伴，到时候让他在11月份的时候把东西转交给老师 不管是国外老师还是国内老师，总有老师对写推荐信是有原则的，譬如他最多只写8封推荐信，或是你申请的某些学校他不能同时写推荐信。如果遇到这样的事情，你需要再找额外的推荐人。 六、 提交推荐信的具体过程 1. 不同网申系统中的推荐信提交方式不一定，但大部分学校我们是可以在网申提交之前就submit推荐信；少部分学校需要
9、网申提交之后才能提交。对于后者，要求你在deadline之前把网申提交了，我们建议至少提前2-3天提交。如果需要你帮老师提交推荐信，老师给你提交推荐信的link之后请尽快提交，以免link过期无效。 2. 如果是推荐人提交推荐信，而且联系到推荐人并不容易的话，那么你需要和推荐人沟通好时间。譬如有的推荐人喜欢在一个比较集中的时间提交推荐信。其实对于学生来说，通常是集中一个时间来填写网申的，所以你的推荐人也会集中某个时间收到推荐信的提交link。默认情况是：你在填网申的时候一并填写推荐信信息并给推荐人send request（即发送推荐信提交link）。 3. 如果推荐人没收到link，你要提醒他
10、们去垃圾邮箱里面看一下（这种情况发生频率比较高）。 4. 你自己提交推荐信的时候会发现，在推荐信系统中不光只是upload推荐信或是粘贴，还需要回答一些short questions，以及选择在推荐人眼中你某些方面ranking是多少。通常ranking我们的经验选择5-10%居多，如果你特别出色，觉得这个老师也特别喜欢你，那么也可以选择的更top一点。Short question有两个最常见问题：1. how long have you known the applicant? 2. In what capacity do you know the applicant? 这个问题意思是你怎么
11、认识申请者的。回答方式譬如：I have known the applicant since she took my course of xxx. 还有些其他问题，可以从推荐信中去摘抄，或是直接空着，最后upload一个letter就行。 5. 给老师的推荐信link是可以重复发送的，这个在网申中找到对应的推荐人信息，点旁边的resend就可以。 6. 注意：如果你自己提交推荐信，要注意回答的多样化。一方面表现在推荐信本身的内容、语言风格和模板方面，另一方面在领域，ranking的选择以及short question回答方面也要保持差异，这样才能显示出每个老师的差异。 7. 要注意交推荐信的时
12、间点。有些学校推荐信提交后，会给申请者发邮件通知，同时申请者也可以在学校网申系统中看到还有哪个推荐人没有提交。一般来说，推荐信最好能够在学校申请的Deadline之前提交，如果实在有特殊原因，可以在DDL之后的一周内提交，问题都不大。所以，这里再次提醒同学们注意时间规划及提交网申，给老师充裕的时间提交推荐信 8. 关于提交推荐信过程中和推荐人的交流，申请者也要注意保持不卑不亢，不要对申请人的催促过于急躁。毕竟教授或者各院系的主任、院长或者公司的经理可能比你想象的还要更忙一些，对于他们来说提交学生的推荐信并不是top priority。而且他们也是之后一学年需要一直面对的老师，关系不要因为这个搞
13、僵。如果实在要催，可以隔一几天问一下，手段可以从邮件短信过渡到电话、面谈，沟通时要注意态度。 七、 一些策略和技术性问题 1. 申请系统会记录IP地址码？ 网上提交推荐信的时候，如果要记录IP地址，很容易。但是截止到现在，没有听说过任何学校因为这个为难申请人。当然，我还是建议同学们在提交时换电脑换IP，系统是否跟踪记录推荐人这种事情，没人能事先预料，前途和学业经不起“万一”。 2. 如何跟教授确定一封好的推荐信? 国外老师大多数都是自己写推荐信，所以找国外老师要推荐信你要谨慎，因为你不知道对方是否能给你写一封positive的推荐信。如果他对你的评价是negative的，这对你的申请是不利的，
14、还不如你找国内老师写的推荐信，你自己有控制权，虽然对你申请没有帮助，但也不会有坏的影响。向国外老师要推荐信之前，首先你自己要确定这个老师至少认识你，并且他对你能力有所评价（譬如上课表现，research，合作等）。之后，你需要向老师提出要推荐信。你不能直接说：Can you write me a reference letter? 即使老师同意，你也不知道他写的letter是strong还是weak。 3. 在和国内老师讨论时，是否要提前准备好自己写的推荐信？ 如果是国内老师，无论老师是否愿意自己给你写，你自己都可以事先准备好一份不用太夸张，却有理有据的推荐信。虽然有些老师会给你改，甚至亲自写
15、，但那是他们的事情，同时你也应该知道，一般老师的英语水平不一定比考过TOEFL、GRE的你强，全是语法错误的推荐信也不一定对你有帮助，而且你准备好推荐信内容给他们省时间老师也会比较乐意，同时可以排除他们写negative内容的风险。 4. 如果是异地是否可以发邮件和老师沟通推荐信的事情？ 如果条件允许，最好可以当面问老师要推荐信。如果条件不允许，发邮件和老师联络也是可以的。在邮件中，我们通常必须要提及： 篇二：推荐信样例 推荐信样例（工程） Li Li Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100080, P.R. China Dean School of G
16、raduate Studies and Research Dear Colleagues: Mr. Ren Ren requested a letter of reference from me to support his application for graduate studies at your university. As his research adviser when he was a graduate student in my institute, I am pleased to comply with his request. I have known Mr. Ren
17、since 1991, when he was admitted as a Master of Engineering candidate into the Institute. As his research adviser, I directed his research and found him a promising youth radiating with intelligence and creativity. During his first year, he got a very good record in major courses. He particularly en
18、joyed challenging areas of studies such as Artificial Intelligence and Neural Network. During the following two years, Mr. Ren worked on a communication project for his degree thesis “the Radio Shunting System on Railroad”. To make the product meet the actual needs, he faced down many practical prob
19、lems, such as high reliability and volume and weight of the product. Working hard and independently, he cracked the problems one by one, and came up with a thesis that was characterized by academic excellence. Judging by his outstanding performance while he studied with me, I am convinced that Mr. R
20、en has acquired the knowledge and intellectual sophistication on the basis of which he can undertake world-class training. I therefore lend him my enthusiastic support and would appreciate your favorable consideration of his application. Sincerely yours Li Li Professor, Graduate Adviser To Whom It M
21、ay Concern: James worked under my supervision as an editorial assistant from September 10, 1997, until April 5, 1998. His responsibilities included conducting research and interviews, fact checking, and writing brief front-of-the-book pieces, in addition to some clerical duties. During the course of
22、 his employment, James proved himself to be an able employee, a hard worker, and a talented writer. I was quite impressed by James ability to complete all work assigned to him on time, if not before it was due. His research was always thorough and comprehensive, and his fact checking always accurate
23、. We sometimes allow our editorial assistants to do some writing, but James talents prompted us to assign him more pieces than the norm. His writing is clear, concise, and evocative. Overall, James is a very conscientious and able employee. I certainly believe he has what it takes to make a wonderfu
24、l editor someday, and I am sad to see him leave. I strongly recommend James for any mid-level editorial position in publishing. Sincerely, Edward P. Larkin Executive Editor Sample2 July 19, 2001 5678 Brook Street Glenview, WA 69302 In capacity as Professor of Mathematics at Fudan UniversityIm writin
25、g to recommend Mr. WangGesintosyour PhD program in Computer Science. I have known Mr. Wang since his sophomore year of collegeand have acted as his thesis advisormentor. In my experiencehe is a gifteddiligent studentand an admirably hard worker. Wang is an impressive student because he has been forc
26、ed to overcome the significant challenge of a serious illness during his freshman year. When I first met Wang in my Discrete Math classhe did not appear to be anything special to me. While his exam scores were goodthey were not as high as I would now expect of him. What I didnt know then was that du
27、e to his illnessWang was attempting to take all of the difficult early mathematics courses at one timeincluding Discrete MathematicsAdvanced MathematicsLinear Algebraand Possibilities. While most students found preparing for just one set of these exams difficultWang was overwhelmed by four of them.
28、But in the endhe achieved an impressive score on the final examwhich made me conscious of his unusual determination he demonstrates when confronting difficult challenges. Mr. WangI have often talked about a variety of mathematicscomputer science conceptsproblems. During these discussions Ialways fou
29、nd him to be delightfully intelligent. Not only does he quickly understand the conceptsproblems presented to himhe is able to analyze these problemspresent solutions. But perhaps most important is that Wangs thinking is intensely rigorous. When looking at any questionhe carefully scrutinizes itif he
30、 finds any uncertain issueshe clears them up immediately. I believe this kind of thought is essential to become an excellent computer programmer. Serving as his thesis advisorI had a first-hand opportunity to observe the way in which Wangs mind works. In his senor thesisMr. Wang mainly discussed two
31、 challenging questions in regards toANN. In our books in Chinaknowledge of ANNits uses are very rare. Few people in China have studied this topicconsequentlythe materials that are available on ANN are limited. Working on this difficult projectnot only did Mr. Wang rise to the challengebut he went ab
32、ovebeyond the call of duty to analyze his secondary sourcestest them for accuracy in practice. In this wayhe found mistakes in the book that we use. His diligencehard work made me extremely proud of him. Mr. Wang is an intelligentmotivatedand industrious individual. Teachingadvising him has been a delightful pleasure. I know that if given the chance to study abroad in Americahe will arm himself to become a great programmer he dreams of being. He has the intelligencebackground to achieve these goals - now all he
