Letter of recommendation for a student, from a teacher's notes
Every application season, teachers and coaches get a stack of requests and very little time. This prompt has your todo.is agent turn your notes and the student's brag sheet into a specific, honest letter of recommendation for a student, with real classroom examples, ready for a college, scholarship, program or first job.
The prompt
- Write a letter of recommendation for my student. I am [YOUR NAME, TITLE AND SCHOOL], and I have known [STUDENT NAME] for [HOW LONG AND IN WHAT ROLE]. The letter is for [PROGRAM, COLLEGE, SCHOLARSHIP OR JOB]. Their strengths with real examples: [2 OR 3 SPECIFIC EXAMPLES]. How they compare to other students I have taught: [COMPARISON]. Here is their resume or brag sheet: [ATTACHED FILE OR NOTES]. Write a one-page letter, warm but professional, with a strong opening line, one paragraph per example, a clear recommendation at the end and my contact details. Avoid generic praise. Give me a Word file I can put on school letterhead and a PDF.
What to change
- [YOUR NAME, TITLE AND SCHOOL]: E.g. "Mr. Daniel Okoro, AP Chemistry Teacher, Westfield High School".
- [STUDENT NAME]: The student's name, e.g. "Grace Liu".
- [HOW LONG AND IN WHAT ROLE]: E.g. "2 years, in AP Chemistry and as advisor to the Science Olympiad team".
- [PROGRAM, COLLEGE, SCHOLARSHIP OR JOB]: E.g. "a BS in Chemical Engineering at state universities" or "a summer research program".
- [2 OR 3 SPECIFIC EXAMPLES]: Real moments, e.g. "redesigned a failed lab on reaction rates and presented it to the class".
- [COMPARISON]: E.g. "one of the top 3 students in 15 years of teaching". Be honest.
- [ATTACHED FILE OR NOTES]: Attach the student's resume or brag sheet, or paste a few notes.
Example result
- Letter of recommendation
- Westfield High School
- 8 October 2026
- To the Admissions Committee,
- In fifteen years of teaching chemistry, I have met only a handful of students who make me rethink my own lessons. Grace Liu is one of them, and I recommend her for your Chemical Engineering program with enthusiasm and without reservation.
- I have known Grace for two years, as her AP Chemistry teacher and as advisor to our Science Olympiad team.
- She learns from failure. Last spring, a lab on reaction rates gave her group results that made no sense. Instead of copying data from another group, Grace stayed after school for three days, found that our thermometers were reading two degrees high, and redesigned the procedure. She then presented her method to the class, and I now use her version every year.
- She makes others better. As captain of our Science Olympiad team, Grace set up weekly study sessions for younger members. Our team placed second at the regional event for the first time, and three of the freshmen she coached now take AP Chemistry.
- She is careful with details and honest about what she does not know. When she is unsure, she says so and finds out. That quality will serve her well in engineering, where small errors matter.
- Academically, Grace earned the highest grade in my AP class this year and is among the top three students I have taught in my career.
- Grace will bring curiosity, persistence and real kindness to your program. I recommend her very highly. Please contact me with any questions.
- Sincerely,
- Daniel Okoro
- AP Chemistry Teacher and Science Olympiad Advisor
- Westfield High School
- d.okoro@westfield.example | 555-0150
- What to ask the student for
- • Their resume or brag sheet and the list of programs
- • Deadlines and how to submit (portal, email, sealed envelope)
- • One or two moments they remember from your class
- • What they want the letter to highlight
- Good practice
- • Only agree to write if you can be positive and specific
- • Keep the student's private information (grades, health, family) out unless they agree
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and add your own examples of the student in the [brackets].
- Paste it on the todo.is Today screen and attach the student's brag sheet or resume.
- Your agent writes a one-page letter with specific examples, as Word and PDF.
- Writing many letters? Ask your agent to remember your title and school, and to keep each letter different.
Tips for a better result
- Use stories, not adjectives. One example of the student solving a problem beats ten words like "hardworking".
- Rank the student honestly if you can, such as "top 5% of students I have taught". Committees value comparisons.
- Ask the student for a brag sheet. It saves time and reminds you of things you forgot.
- Tailor the last paragraph to the program, such as engineering, nursing or a scholarship.
- Do not reuse the same letter for different students. Committees notice repeated phrases.
letter of recommendation for a student: FAQ
- What should a letter of recommendation for a student include? How you know the student and for how long, two or three specific examples of their strengths, how they compare to other students, and a clear recommendation at the end.
- How long should a student recommendation letter be? One page, about 300 to 500 words, is standard for most colleges, scholarships and programs.
- Can a student write their own recommendation letter? Some recommenders ask students to draft one, but the final letter should be in the recommender's own words and signed by them. Check the program's rules.
- How much notice should students give for a recommendation? At least three to four weeks before the deadline is a good courtesy, more during busy application seasons.
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