You are recommending a student for a graduate school program.

**Question:**
One of your former students, Michael Park, is applying to a Master’s program in Environmental Science. He has asked you to write a recommendation letter. Write an email to the graduate admissions committee. In your email:
– State how you know Michael and in what capacity
– Describe his academic abilities and specific achievements
– Explain why he would succeed in graduate school

**Model Answer:**

**To:** admissions@gradschool.edu
**Subject:** Recommendation for Michael Park – Master of Environmental Science

Dear Admissions Committee Members,

I am writing to offer my strongest recommendation for Michael Park, who has applied to your Master of Environmental Science program. I had the privilege of teaching Michael in two upper-level courses – Ecology and Field Methods – and supervising his independent research project during his final year at State University.

Michael is among the top 5% of students I have taught in my fifteen-year career. In Ecology, he earned the highest score on the final exam and consistently contributed insightful questions that pushed our class discussions deeper. In Field Methods, his ability to design rigorous sampling protocols and analyze complex ecological data was exceptional for an undergraduate. His final research project on wetland biodiversity was so well-executed that I encouraged him to submit an abstract to a regional conference, which was accepted.

What truly sets Michael apart is his intellectual curiosity and perseverance. When his initial research hypothesis was disproven by preliminary data, he did not become discouraged. Instead, he spent two weeks reviewing additional literature, developed a new hypothesis, and redesigned his methodology. The final results were more interesting than his original idea. This kind of resilience is exactly what graduate school demands.

Michael is also a generous collaborator. He often stayed after class to help struggling peers understand difficult concepts, and he volunteered to mentor first-year students in our department’s research assistant program.

I am confident that Michael has the intellectual ability, work ethic, and passion for environmental science to thrive in your program and make meaningful contributions to the field. Please contact me if you need any additional information.

Sincerely,
Dr. Sarah Williams
Professor of Ecology, State University