推荐信在录取过程中起到了极为重要的作用。实际上，仅仅是一封推荐信就有可能改变委员会对申请人的看法，从而改变录取的结果。因为推荐信中会体现教授或是导师对申请人的意见，而他们已经和申请人在一起工作过一段时间了，所以录取委员会对推荐信非常的看重。每个录取委员会中都有一些经验丰富的教授，他们阅读过大量的推荐信，也给自己的学生写过不少推荐信。
简而言之，推荐信比我们想象中的重要得多，一封好的导师推荐信对于录取结果具有很大影响。怎样才叫“好”呢？
◀ when / why：说明推荐人何时认识该学生，并从课堂外的其他几个方面阐述学生的能力
◀ detailed：详尽详实
◀ specific：有具体事例
◀ comparison：该学生和其他学生比较，解释为什么这名学生更优秀（如课程成绩全班第一，是我带过的最好的几个学生之一，blabla……）
接下来我们看看一位外国教授写的
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To: Graduate Admissions Committee
It is my pleasure to write on behalf of Jane Student, who is applying to the PhD program in Research Psychology at Major University. I have interacted with Jane in several contexts: as student, as teaching assistant, and as thesis mentee.
I first met Jane in 2008, when she enrolled in my introductory Psychology class. Jane immediately stood out from the crowd, even as a first semester freshman. Just a few months out of high school, Jane demonstrated characteristics commonly held by the best college students. She was attentive in class, prepared, submitted well-written and thoughtful assignments, and participated in meaningful ways, such as by debating other students.
Throughout, Jane modeled critical thinking skills. Needless to say, Jane earned one of five A’s awarded in that class of 75 students. Since her first semester in college Jane has enrolled in six of my classes. She demonstrated similar competencies, and her skills grew with each semester. Most striking is her ability to tackle challenging material with enthusiasm and endurance.
As teaching assistant, Jane strengthened many of the skills I have articulated. In this position Jane held review sessions and offered out-of-class assistance to students. She also lectured in class several times during the semester. Her first lecture was a bit shaky. She clearly knew the concepts but had difficulty keeping pace with PowerPoint slides. When she abandoned the slides and worked off the blackboard, she improved. She was able to answer students questions and the two that she couldn’t answer she admitted to and said she’d get back to them. As a first lecture, she was very good. Most important to a career in academics, is that she improved in subsequent lectures. Leadership, humility, the ability to see areas in need of improvement, and the willingness to do the work needed to improve – these are all characteristics we value in academia.
In closing, I believe that Jane student has the capacity to excel at X and in a career as a research psychologist. She is one of a small handful of student that I have encountered I my 16 years teaching undergraduates that has this ability. Please do not hesitate to contact me with further questions.
这里是美国留学口碑第一的明德立人教育，明德立人汇聚700多位名校海外学长，涵盖商科、理工科、文科、艺术等，录取结果名列前茅，善于为学生争取到冲刺性名校录取！ 哈佛, 普林, 耶鲁, 麻省, 卡梅, 康康, 西北, 杜克, 芝加哥, 斯坦福...每年收获满满！欢迎扫描下方二维码，关注我们，每天为您推送留学干货！