What should a good Stanford letter of recommendation look like?

Hi, I'm currently in the process of requesting letters of recommendation for my Stanford application. Just wondering what qualities or experiences teachers or counselor should highlight for a successful recommendation? Thanks for any advice.

When seeking a letter of recommendation for Stanford, it's important that your recommenders highlight not just your academic achievements, but also your character, commitment, and potential for growth. Here are some key points your letter might want to focus on:

1. Intellectual Vitality: Stanford places a lot of value on intellectual vitality. If a recommender can speak to your deep intellectual curiosity, your willingness to take academic risks, and your love of learning that expands beyond the school environment, it will be highly beneficial.

2. Leadership: It would be advantageous if your recommenders could provide examples that demonstrate your leadership skills, be it in a classroom setting, in extracurricular activities, or in community service.

3. Problem Solving: Illustrations of your problem-solving skills, particularly in a real-world context, can effectively showcase your resilience, resourcefulness, and adaptability. This could be demonstrated through your innovative involvement in a school project, start-up creation, or other examples where you creatively found solutions.

4. Character: Stanford is interested in students who are not just academically excellent but also have a strong ethical compass, are compassionate, show integrity, and have respect for others. Anecdotes that demonstrate some of these traits could definitely work in your favor.

5. Collaboration: Teamwork and collaboration skills are highly valued. Your recommenders can highlight instances where you worked effectively within teams, contributed to collective goals, or facilitated constructive group discussions.

6. Growth Mindset: Evidence of perseverance, resilience, or the ability to learn from failure could demonstrate a growth mindset – a quality Stanford appreciates.

7. Contribution to Stanford: Finally, the recommender could mention your likely contribution to the Stanford community, drawing from evidences of your past achievements and personal attributes.

Remember, a strong recommendation letter will have specific examples or anecdotes to support these qualities. A generic letter, no matter how positive, doesn't provide much insight. It's the detailed stories, observations, and personal experiences that truly allow your qualities to shine through. Good luck with your application!