I often receive calls from prospective students about the letters of recommendation that are required as part of the UOnline application. What should the letters contain? Who should I ask? And, the most urgent—how do I ask? Here, I offer a few recommendations to help make this component of your application easier to complete.
First, let’s start with the request:Consider people who know you well in a professional or academic setting.
We’re not necessarily looking for a letter from the CEO of your company (unless you collaborate regularly, of course). Consider your current or past managers, a colleague whose projects you contribute to or you regularly collaborate with, a mentor you work with on volunteer projects or a faculty member who knows you well from your previous higher education experiences. Consider people who are familiar with your day-to-day work or can speak about your accomplishments.
If at all possible, make your request personal. Ask in person, make a phone call, or, if you typically connect with them online, ask by sending a formal email.
Make a detailed request. Share why you're asking them. Remind them of the projects you’ve worked on together. A slightly longer conversation will also allow you to gauge if they are comfortable writing this letter. If they are happy to contribute—and this is more frequently the case than you may realize—the projects you mention will help jog their memory and make it easier to write the letter.
Close the conversation with details about the process. When completing your online application, you will be asked to put the name and email address of the individuals who will be writing the letters for you. Share with your recommender that they will receive an email from the University of Miami and that they should look for a UOnline email address, not yours. I know this goes without saying but end by thanking them and sharing the deadline. Remember, all pieces of your application must be submitted for you to be considered for the semester you would like to start the program, so if your letters aren’t in, we can review your application. One week is typically a respectful deadline. What should the letter contain? Here are a few recommendations to share when making your request:
Each letter should be about one page. It can, however, be longer or shorter. It’s all about how much detail the particular writer wants to include. A few meaty paragraphs with good examples are usually all we need to get a sense of who you are professionally and why this person recommends you.
Include specifics. Each letter should start with who they are and how they know you and include your full name. Give us those obvious details at the beginning.
Ask the writer to include substantive details about you and your work. This is another way for us to “meet” you. Beyond sharing your professional characteristics, also ask them to write about a particular project or ways you’ve contributed to your company or the organization. Short anecdotes about specific events or projects go a long way; they paint a picture about who you are. If a former faculty member in writing, ask them to share how you excelled in their courses and why they think you’d be a great candidate for a master’s program.
Remind them (and yourself!) that this is a short letter. It’s one page. We’re certain they know you well enough to write a short, substantive piece. Finally—and very importantly—remember to express thanks. You’ll receive a notice from our system that your letters have been successfully received. Take a moment to write a hand-written thank you note, offer to take them out for a quick lunch, or consider another small token of thanks.
