AI Letter of Recommendation Templates | How to Use ChatGPT & AI Tools
What is a letter of recommendation template?
A letter of recommendation template is a pre-structured document that provides a standard format and structure that referees can follow when writing recommendation letters for students applying to college, graduate school, or other professional academic programs. Using a recommendation letter template simplifies the process for referees, especially those who may not write recommendation letters frequently. It ensures consistency, saves time, and reduces the stress associated with figuring out what to include in a letter of recommendation for a student.
Additionally, a well-organized recommendation letter, adhering to a structured template, enhances the applicant's chances by providing clear and persuasive support for their application. Because aA letter of recommendation is an important component of your application and is typically written by a professional or academic contact vouching for an individual's qualifications, character, and abilities, it should follow certain formal rules and use appropriate language befitting of one in an academic position. Recommendation letter templates can therefore be highly useful tools for professors whose language is not English or who have trouble composing such biographical documents.
Using an AI Writing Assistant to help write a letter of recommendation has become an increasingly common practice, as such tools can reliably apply the correct format for such formal documents.
Using AI to Write a Letter of Recommendation: Pros and Cons
Using an AI tool like ChatGPT as an AI letter of recommendation generator can be convenient and save a lot of time. However, there are some potential issues to keep in mind:
AI-generated content often lacks a personal touch and nuanced insights that only a human who knows the applicant well can provide. If you ask ChatGPT for generic examples, they can also be biased to whatever the bot came across in its training data. Authors must carefully check whether the suggestions offered by AI are appropriate and always do a final review. When a selection committee suspects a letter was written by AI, they may question its authenticity, which can lower its impact and the applicant’s chances of admission.
There might also be ethical concerns, because a recommendation letter is supposed to reflect a human writer's genuine opinion and experiences with the applicant. You also need to be aware of any legal or institutional policies regarding the use of AI in recommendation letters, as some organizations/institutions may have specific guidelines or restrictions in place.
However, using AI tools to quickly generate a draft can help you focus on customizing and personalizing the content of a letter to fit the specific candidate to make sure the substance of their story gets across. Specialized AI letter writing tools such as our AI text editor can also assist you in refining, reviewing, and editing a recommendation letter to ensure it is impeccable and catches the eyes of the admission officers only for the right reasons!
Tips for Using AI to Write a Letter of Recommendation
- Provide Detailed Information: Ensure you input comprehensive details about the applicant's achievements, skills, and experiences. The more information the AI recommendation letter generator has, the more personalized and effective the letter will be.
- Customize the Output: After generating the letter, review and tailor it to better fit the specific program or job the applicant is applying for. This adds a personal touch and relevance that generic content might lack.
- Check for Accuracy: Verify all facts and details in the AI-generated letter of recommendation to avoid inaccuracies or misrepresentations. This helps maintain credibility and ensures the letter is truthful and precise.
- Use the AI as a Starting Point: Treat the AI-generated letter as a draft. Add your own insights, anecdotes, and personal touch to make the recommendation more genuine and impactful.
- Maintain Confidentiality: Ensure that any sensitive information about the applicant is handled carefully and only included with their consent. This respects the applicant's privacy and maintains professional ethics.
- Leverage AI for Formatting: Use the AI to create a well-structured and professionally formatted letter. This enhances readability and presents the applicant's strengths in an organized manner.
What to include in good recommendation letters?
Make sure you ask the candidate/applicant for all of their necessary details before you start drafting, to avoid a lengthy back-and-forth and take up precious time. A comprehensive recommendation letter typically consists of the following:
Introduction
- Salutation: address it to the recipient/organization
- Identify yourself and your relationship with the candidate
- Provide a brief overview of your qualifications/expertise to establish your credibility
- Explain how you know the candidate and for how long
- Specify the context of your interactions (academic, professional, personal…)
Body Content
- Describe/discuss the candidate's qualifications relevant to the position/opportunity
- Provide specific examples and anecdotes that illustrate these qualities
- Emphasize any unique qualities or achievements that set them apart
Conclusion
- Summarize your overall recommendation and make an explicit statement
- Offer to provide further information or answer any questions (add contact information)
- Close the letter professionally (e.g., with "Sincerely" or "Best regards")
- Date and sign the letter by hand, type your name, or add an e-signature
How to Use AI to Write a Letter of Recommendation
You can use AI tools to draft good recommendation letters by following these steps:
Collect all relevant information about the candidate, including their qualifications, achievements, and the specific program/opportunity they are applying for.
If you then feed the candidate's details and the key points you want to include into an AI letter writing tool like ChatGPT, it can create an initial draft of the recommendation letter for you.
Edit and customize the letter to add personal nuances, include specific examples, and tailor it to the context of the recommendation.
Proofread your recommendation letter to ensure the letter is error-free and professionally written.
Note that, for AI bots like ChatGPT to assist in this drafting process, you need to “prompt” them correctly. Read on to learn what that means.
Step 1: Create a ChatGPT recommendation letter prompt
We want to ask AI to write a letter. Let’s type the following request into ChatGPT:
Depending on how much information we include, ChatGPT will generate a text with placeholders to fill in or make something up—in the latter case you have to check the output for accuracy and add details where necessary.
In response to our prompt, we get the following draft:
Step 2: Review the output text and make necessary changes
You can now add what is missing from this somewhat generic output, fill in the missing elements (see the section on what to include in a letter of recommendation above), and review the text to make it your own. For example, the following statement should ideally be replaced with your specific description of a situation where you personally experienced how exceptional this student is:
His exceptional preparation, unwavering attendance, and his ability to ask insightful questions demonstrate his deep passion for understanding human history…
Using Wordvice AI’s free AI Paraphrasing Tool can help you to achieve a less AI-like tone and make any quickly jotted down notes sound more formal and professional: Just copy-paste part of your statement into the left-hand box and click “Paraphrase” (in this case, we chose the Mode “Fluent”):
Step 3: Use an AI tool to edit your letter of recommendation for a student
As with every text or document intended for professional or official purposes, you need to make sure it is grammatically flawless and tailored to the right audience. Use the free AI proofreading tool to fine-tune your recommendation letter: choose your correction level (light - standard - intensive - concise) and click on the flagged errors to receive feedback and suggestions for corrections:
AI Letter of Recommendation Templates
As we have explained so far, you can either get ChatGPT to create a generic recommendation letter template and fill in the specific details that apply to your student yourself, or you can provide the AI bot with those details, and let it draft the whole letter for you. In the following, we show you examples of prompts and outputs for both ChatGPT letter of recommendation types.
1. Letter of recommendation for students entering college
If you are writing a letter for a student applying to college, prompt ChatGPT with the following simple request
Create a brief recommendation letter template for a college application
Then receive a generic template that you only need to fill in:
[Date]
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing this letter in enthusiastic support of [Student's Full Name], who is applying for admission to [Name of College/University]. I have had the privilege of [teaching/supervising/working with] [Student's Full Name] for [duration or context] and am confident in [his/her/their] qualifications and potential for academic success.
[Student's Full Name] is an exceptional individual with [his/her/their] outstanding [qualities, achievements, or attributes]. [He/She/They] consistently [provide specific examples of accomplishments, skills, or characteristics]. and has demonstrated a genuine passion for [relevant field or area of interest].
I have no doubt that [Student's Full Name] will be a valuable addition to your academic community, contributing positively to [name of college/university]'s [mention any relevant aspects of the institution]. I wholeheartedly recommend [him/her/them] for admission, and I am confident that [he/she/they] will thrive in your academic environment.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at [your email address] or [your phone number] if you require any further information or have any questions regarding this recommendation.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] [Your Title/Position] [Your Contact Information]
If you would like to include a bit more detail in your prompt, you can also include the name of the school/college, academic program, year/semester of intended entrance, and any other details you know about the student’s application goals and targets. You can also instruct ChatGPT to make your recommendation letter shorter or longer, depending on your preferences. Keep in mind that the more details you provide in your prompt, the more closely you should review the output text to make sure all details are accurate.
Recommendation letter for graduate students
If you are writing a letter or recommendation for a student entering a graduate or postgraduate program, you can feed ChatGPT the following specific prompt instructions:
Create a brief recommendation letter (<200 words) for student R. Kramer to apply to a PhD program in cognitive neuroscience. I have known R. Kramer for the entirety of her undergraduate studies; she has been a student in my classes on biology, psychology, and sociology. Her passion stems from growing up with a brother with schizophrenia; her goal is to contribute to a better understanding of the disorder and improved treatment options.
The AI should now generate a more complete AI letter of recommendation for you:
To Whom It May Concern,
I am delighted to write this recommendation for R. Kramer, who has been a dedicated student in my biology, psychology, and sociology courses throughout her undergraduate studies. R. Kramer's academic excellence, coupled with her unwavering commitment, sets her apart.
Her passion for cognitive neuroscience, driven by her personal experience growing up with a brother who has schizophrenia, is truly commendable. R. Kramer's aspiration to contribute to a deeper understanding of this complex disorder and to advance treatment options reflects both her empathy and her scholarly ambition.
Throughout her time in my classes, R. Kramer exhibited a keen intellect, exceptional work ethic, and a genuine enthusiasm for the subject matter. I have no doubt that she possesses the qualities and determination required for success in a PhD program.
I wholeheartedly recommend R. Kramer for admission to your cognitive neuroscience program, believing she will make significant contributions to your academic community.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] [Your Title/Position] [Contact Information]
Although we have created a rather simple college recommendation letter template here (because most college applicants have less academic and professional experience than grad school candidates), you can always add further details to the output text to make sure that it sounds natural and gives a complete picture of the person you are recommending.
Benefits of Writing Your Letter of Recommendation with Wordvice AI
While ChatGPT can provide you with AI recommendation letter templates and drafts like the ones above, the advantage of specific writing tools such as the Wordvice AI Writing Assistant is that they do not pose any ethical dilemma, because they rely on more human input. You also don’t risk sounding too generic when you use them to revise your AI recommendation letter. The Wordvice free AI Proofreader, AI Paraphrasing Tool, and AI Text Summarizer help you correct your grammar, check your punctuation, and improve the clarity and flow of your text by adapting your vocabulary, tone, and style where necessary.
Additional AI Recommendation Letter Resources
Even if you follow all these tips and make the most of everything AI writing and editing tools have to offer, it is always a good idea to let a professional human editor go over your recommendation letter before you submit it to impress a selection committee or employer.
Wordvice’s Editing and Proofreading Services, especially our Recommendation Letter Editing, will perfect your writing and help you get admitted to the school of your choice. Our expert editors have years of experience in application essay editing and are qualified to maximize your writing impact and wow admissions officers and committees.
Don’t forget to check out the articles below for more information on preparing admissions documents.