Information Technology Letter of Recommendation: How to Draft a LOR for IT?

Students with a background or an interest in information technology opt for a Master's in Information Technology course abroad. The MSIT degree is intended for the individuals in charge of information technology, particularly information systems developments. Here, a information technology letter of recommendation sample plays a vital role in application to some of the top universities like MIT.

Universities generally use a letter of recommendation to validate the accomplishments listed on a candidate's resume. Similarly, other vital capabilities can be highlighted and substantiated through a LOR.

But how can one write a successful LOR for an MS in IT? Let us comprehend the many components of a successful LOR for IT.

Decoding the Masters of Information Technology LORs

An LOR is usually of two types; academic and professional. Let’s decode them to draft an impressive one.

What is the accepted word count for an MS in IT LOR?

Ans. Keep the length of the LOR on one-page around 400-500 words. However, universities abroad have word counts defined as part of the online applications.

What can lead a LOR to be rejected right away?

Ans. A weak LOR may get rejected; hence, we should first go over the student's complete profile and proceed accordingly to establish a decent balance of personal and professional skills. Besides, plagiarism can also get your LOR rejected.

Note: The credibility of the recommender must not be compromised in the letter.

What is the best writing style for an IT LOR?

Ans. A conversational style of writing manages to keep the narrative engaging. So write your LOR in an effective and positive tone with anecdotes to explain the student’s qualities. To ensure that the LOR flow is correct, you must outline points before writing it.

How many LORs to write for an MS in IT?

Ans. Each university requires a separate and original LOR. Hence, you need to write a different LOR for every university you apply to. Along with LORs, universities require program-specific writing samples as part of applications.

For example, a university may require you to submit a professional statement of intent that addresses your motivation, preparation, and commitment to the field of Information and technology while working for an organisation. It may also seek to understand how you see yourself making an impact in the area through an academic LOR.

How to save and submit your LOR?

Ans. You can get your LOR written on a letterhead and uploaded on the official university website or shared through mail (as power requirement.) Besides, a PDF format of an LOR looks professional and eliminates the possibility of any formatting inconsistencies. Universities may also provide forms to paste contents of LOR as part of applications with or without the option to upload it.

How to Write a Information Technology Letter of Recommendation Sample?

The information technology letter of recommendation sample is to be written from the recommender's perspective, describing the student's performance from a bird's-eye view. Look for the positive qualities but for a balanced approach as well.

This letter must talk about students' overall personalities, including factors like qualities, strengths, and team contribution/class participation, with anecdotes supporting the demonstration of these qualities and skills. Let’s check the structure/format.

Introduction

The first paragraph should introduce the student and his academic records, confirming the other documents submitted and establishing the basis for the recommender-applicant connections. Here, they can state their relationship with you, how it started, when did they meet you (in college or at work), the qualities they like about you, etc.

Body Paragraphs

This paragraph leaves a positive impact if the observation stated by the recommender is a direct one. It gives a clear extent of interaction and is considered better than observing through someone else or working together remotely.

A recommendation letter for IT students should not mention grades, scores, or competitive test results unless it is essential to interpret the academic result. These are already mentioned in the resume; therefore, repeating the information is not required.

A LOR should not be more than one page written in 500-600 words and must be crisp. In an academic LOR, mention the achievements of the student in the school and/or college. And in professional LOR, mention the role and responsibilities of the student and highlight the traits displayed. It is not required to discuss the job or project at length.

The recommender should mention the contributions that the student made in the class and/or at their workplace and what qualities they displayed. It is important to keep in mind that the contributions and the qualities mentioned by the recommender should be relevant to the information and technology program.

Conclusion

To conclude, the recommender should always mention their contact details in the information technology letter of recommendation sample. It helps the admission committee to connect with them in case of any verification.

LOR Requirements of Top Information Technology Universities

Following are the information technology recommendation letter requirements of top universities. Let’s explore them!

University Name	LOR Requirements
Harvard University	3 academic LORs
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1-2 academic or professional recommendation letters
Stanford University	1-2 academic or professional recommendation letters
California Institute of Technology	2 academic or professional recommendation letters
University of Cambridge	3 academic or professional recommendation letter

Suggested: Sample LOR for Masters (MS)

Important Tips to Write a LOR for IT

Students can achieve an edge over their fellow candidates by considering these tips for writing an actionable IT LOR. Let’s go through them one by one!

Language: Use of good vocabulary and active verbs is preferred; try to avoid redundant language and too many technical terms.
Word Limit: The LORs should not exceed the word limit of 500-600 words unless the university specified otherwise.
Font Style and Size: For most universities, the preferred font style is Times New Roman and the font size is 12pt as it is an academic document. Few universities might accept Ariel font with font size 10pt or 12pt.
Plagiarism: The LOR should be free of error, grammatically correct, and free from plagiarism. Proofread the files and check for errors before submission. The information mentioned by the recommender must be genuine and should be substantiated.
Structure: The LOR should be in paragraph format. It should not contain any colourful text and should be written in plain black colour. Further, all the two or three LORs should contain information about different skillsets and languages.
Skills: The LOR must mention the hard and soft skills of the student like up-to-date technical knowledge, critical thinking, resilience, ability to communicate, leadership quality, attention to detail, etc.

To sum up, a LOR must reflect the best image of the student while providing true and honest information. We hope the guidelines will help you write the perfect LOR for your preferred university in the IT program.

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