What are the Elements of a Very Strong LOR

[Premedapplicant]

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Hey guys,

What would you say are the elements which make an incredibly strong LOR? For instance, what to touch upon? For instance, how to phrase things? What to phrase? Etc etc.

This is a letter from my Primary Investigator who is a Dr. She asked me to tell her what she should include/say to make it highly effective, persuasive and strong!

Really appreciate this guys!! 😍

 

[wolverinepwns]

Hey guys,

What would you say are the elements which make an incredibly strong LOR? For instance, what to touch upon? For instance, how to phrase things? What to phrase? Etc etc.

This is a letter from my Primary Investigator who is a Dr. She asked me to tell her what she should include/say to make it highly effective, persuasive and strong!

Really appreciate this guys!! 😍

I would say, it has to stand out, or have points that make the reader remember it over other letters. It could be unique examples explaining certain characteristics you have, ie professionalism, dedication, motivation, ...... Which only a person that knows you would be able to talk about.

 

[Premedapplicant]

Here I have this opportunity to tell her what to include and how so I kind of need a little guidance I guess 😀

 

[rhesuspieces]

One of my LOR's was written by a former adcom member, and he was very thorough in explaining exactly how he planned on formatting the letter. He wrote the LOR in two parts: his personal experience with me, and the some general comments about me as a student. In the first section, he talked about my performance in his class (in your case the PI would talk about your work in her lab) and what made me stand out from the other students. He cited specific examples so that the letter wouldn't sound generic.

In the second section he mentioned my strengths as a student, my personality and character and my potential to be a good doctor. He also summarized my clinical experience, research, volunteering, etc. He kept this section very short so as to not reiterate what the adcom could easily find on my AMCAS.

In his personal experience as an adcom, he found that a good LOR didn't repeat too much material from the AMCAS, and talked very specifically about the student and his/her achievements in the LOR writer's class/lab. That second part is important--otherwise the LOR may look like a generic form letter.

Hope this helps!

 

[wanderer]

Talk about personal characteristics and academic performance with strong support (possibly anecdotes). A form letter is okay if it includes anecdotes. Also it contains nothing that can even be construed as negative.