Personal Letter of Recommendation format

[icydragon123]

Hello!

Is there a specific format for a personal letter of recommendation? The person is retired and doesn't have a letter head obviously. So can it just be a simple letter on a word doc? I am using interfolio.

Thanks!

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[Dr. Stalker]

Many medical schools require all letters of recommendation to be on an official letterhead. Can your author ask their old university/hospital to get access to it? If not, I'm sure your author has written countless letters before and still has the digital template/letterhead saved somewhere?

 

[icydragon123]

Many medical schools require all letters of recommendation to be on an official letterhead. Can your author ask their old university/hospital to get access to it? If not, I'm sure your author has written countless letters before and still has the digital template/letterhead saved somewhere?

She is the grandmother of my mentee for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Do you think this could be an exception?

 

[Dr. Stalker]

She is the grandmother of my mentee for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Do you think this could be an exception?

Hm, sorry I jumped the gun and assumed it was a professor or physician that was retired. That may be permissible, but I'm currently applying and several medical schools specifically stated they need official stationary for letters of recommendation, but I think that's with respect to university/hospital letters of recommendation.

I'd still suggest she tries to get it on some form of official paper, but I actually don't know, perhaps adcoms on sdn could chime in on what to do @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn ?

 

[icydragon123]

a

 

[icydragon123]

a

 

[icydragon123]

I think the letter is almost entirely without benefit to your application accept for the few schools that have such personal recommendations in their list

Ok so don't use it? She knows me really well so I thought she would be able to attest to my personality. If I were to use it, is there a specific format needed?

 

[Ad2b]

thought she would be able to attest to my personality

LORs attest to your ability to be a matriculate, graduate and become a licensed and credentialed patient treating physician. Personality is indirectly a component of that but the grandmother of your mentee has no insight on what it takes to be a physician.

At least, that's been my take on them. I only asked people who knew what I was like as student, could attest to what I overcame to get the grades I did or were the executive I reported to for work and could relate that back to hard working, grinder (non-trads often use a work LOR rather than 3 science/professor LORs)

 

[icydragon123]

a

 

[icydragon123]

LORs attest to your ability to be a matriculate, graduate and become a licensed and credentialed patient treating physician. Personality is indirectly a component of that but the grandmother of your mentee has no insight on what it takes to be a physician.

At least, that's been my take on them. I only asked people who knew what I was like as student, could attest to what I overcame to get the grades I did or were the executive I reported to for work and could relate that back to hard working, grinder (non-trads often use a work LOR rather than 3 science/professor LORs)

Ok thank you for your help on this.

 

[Goro]

Hm, sorry I jumped the gun and assumed it was a professor or physician that was retired. That may be permissible, but I'm currently applying and several medical schools specifically stated they need official stationary for letters of recommendation, but I think that's with respect to university/hospital letters of recommendation.

I'd still suggest she tries to get it on some form of official paper, but I actually don't know, perhaps adcoms on sdn could chime in on what to do @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn ?

Testimonials...meh.

 

[Ad2b]

@Goro you mean, le gasp , you won't attest that I'm AWESOMEsauce!?