What kinds of details should be included in LORs?

[bamagurl14]

Ok, so I'll be applying for the 2011 cycle, and I've already contacted 2 people for LORs. And my question is: what kind of information about me should they include in the letter? Like everything from academic ability, work ethic, personality/character, to extracurricular/off-campus activities, awards/achievements, goals in life, etc?

By the way, one of the letter writers is my non-science (Management Information Systems) professor whom I've known for 4 years and the other is the head secretary of the department whom I worked with for a year as a freshman.

If there's any tips or anything else I need to know about LORs, please include that in the response as well, as I'm new to this whole application process and would like to know about it as much as I possibly can. Thanks ya'll!

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[bamagurl14]

Come on guys, I really need some input! Anything, please!

 

[xBODOMx]

I think Leaving it up to them would make more sense. That way they don't put the same things in the letters.

 

[aquamonkey]

i'd like to hear more about this too. i just dont know where to start. although I heard some people give their writers a copy of their personal statement and resume. i guess that requires you to have one written already..oops

 

[bonsaitree1]

Like everything from academic ability, work ethic, personality/character, to extracurricular/off-campus activities, awards/achievements, goals in life, etc?!

That is pretty good, talking about your achievements, personality, character and looking like he has a good knowledge of everything that you're involved in sounds good.

Remember that you'll also need 2 science LORs.

 

[starlit]

I think mentioning academic ability and work ethic are certainly important. Any discussion of your personality should be illustrated with specific examples. When I asked my prof for a LOR, we sat down for about an hour and chatted about what would go in the letter. He was really interested in finding out what drove and motivated me as a person and as a premed student. He also asked me why I felt compelled to serve other people and my reasoning behind those reasons in relation to my morals and ethics haha. But I also think it's best to let the writers decide on what to write and let them ask lots of questions.