How do I write a great letter of recommendation for a student that is not so great?

Question

This student is very lazy and does no work. I am the School Counselor, so I cannot decline. I'm also new. Help!

By "great" I mean without coming right out and saying this student is lazy. She has the potential, and lazy or not, is still entitled to an education. She already knows how I feel.

Answer 1

make it very generic and bland

Answer 2

Letters of recommendation don't have to be all "glitz and glory" - you can list some negatives about the student in a nice way, and make them feel somewhat like positives. Also, you can list positives that may not be that great to some people, but for that student, it is all they have.

For instance, if this lazy student has good attendance, list that. Speak positively about his/ her personality and if other people are drawn to the student because of his/her personality or say how they react to his/her personality. If s/he works well in groups, state good behavior, or creativity.

For the lousey aspects, say that s/he makes more progress on group projects rather than alone. If this person really does no work, don't focus on it. Say s/he's creative or imaginative.

Hope this helps! :o) Good luck!

Answer 3

My first question would be why would you write a great letter of recommendation for a student you think is lazy and does no work? I would talk to the student, and explain what you think, and indicate that you have to be honest in your letter of recommendation. With that said, the student must have some redeeming qualities. Focus on those when you write the letter, but my advice would be to not describe the student as something he is not.

Answer 4

I didn't work in HS and didn't do very well. It wasn't because I was lazy -- it was because I was unchallenged.

My school counselor saw the potential in me -- and wrote a recommendation that got me into a decent enough school. I didn't do well in my first year of college -- because I had to learn how to study. But I did very well after that.

I eventually went on to graduate school -- getting a master's at Duke and a PhD at Berkeley.

Schedule an appointment with this student. Ask him why he isn't working. Ask him if he thinks things will be different in college. Try to find out if he is just a dullard or if he is someone not living up to his potential.

When you write a letter for him -- do not lie about anything. Doing so will hurt the other students who will need a positive letter from you. But you can hold back some of the truth. If you think he has potential, you can write that he didn't live up to his potential in High School but that you hope the challenges of university life will spark something in him.

You also don't have to write the same letter for every school. For example, if he is applying to UC schools and CSU schools -- you could come right out in the letters for the UC schools and say that he isn't up to their requirements. But since the CSU schools are less selective, you might even be able to say something positive.

Good luck

Answer 5

Just why do you want to compromise your name and integrity on a at best marginal student

Answer 6

I personally suggest that you get to know this student better, if they're not good academically, it is likely they have strengths.

Answer 7

You can't decline but you also dont have to write a positive recommendation. not only does it set up the student for failure by helping them progress to a position he/she is not suited for, but it is incredibly unfair to the students with positive recommendations that deserve them. it is unethical to write a recommendation that you dont believe

Answer 8

You don't. By lying you enable a person to progress who doesn't have merit.