Reference letters - How do they look?

So I'm starting to look into college apps and I know that getting good reference letters is important. Can anyone describe what a solid recommendation for a student should look like? Are there specific qualities or achievements schools want to hear about?

While every recommendation letter will naturally be unique and vary based on the student's experiences and the relationship with the recommender, a strong letter will typically contain a few key elements:

1. Introduction and relationship to the student:

At the start, the recommender will usually explain their role (a teacher, coach, counselor, etc) and describe their relationship with the student. This will often include how long they have known the student and in what capacity, which can help the reader understand the context of the letter.

2. Specific examples of student's qualities:

The main section of the letter is usually devoted to describing the student's character, achievements, and traits, backed up by specific examples. This might include how the student excels academically, contributes to class discussions, shows leadership, collaborates with peers, or exhibits qualities like resilience or creativity. The more specific the examples, the better. Instead of saying "the student is a good team player," saying "the student demonstrated teamwork by coordinating a group project on X topic and mediating disagreements between team members," gives a much stronger picture.

3. Comparison with peers:

Some letters may include a comparison of the student to their peers. This gives an idea of the student's performance in context.

4. Endorsement:

Strong recommendation letters usually conclude with a clear endorsement of the student's candidacy for admission to the college. This is where the recommender should sum up their feelings about the student and endorse them unequivocally.

One thing to keep in mind is that not every letter needs to highlight everything about a student. Most students submit multiple letters, and each one should ideally highlight a different set of qualities or experiences. A guidance counselor might focus on overall academic and extracurricular achievement, a teacher could detail intellectual potential and class contributions, and a coach could discuss teamwork and dedication. It's all about creating a holistic picture of who the student is.