How to write a letter of recommendation for yourself
Don’t freak out if you are asked to draft your letter of recommendation for PhD admission. It’s not that uncommon. Most faculty I know consider it in poor taste (although asking the applicant for highlights to include in a letter is totally fair game). But some faculty make this request frequently. It doesn’t mean they don’t like you; it usually means they’re busy and have potentially a dozen other letters to write. The upside is you now have an opportunity to write a letter that casts you in your best light.
If you’re worried whether anyone will be able to tell—it’s unlikely. The submitter will almost certainly read over the letter and revise it.
Here’s a general guide to write a self-recommendation letter, paragraph by paragraph:
Open by stating you are strongly recommending the applicant for a PhD position. Add a sentence or two on what makes you (the applicant) stand out. This is effectively an overview of the strengths you will describe in the letter.
Provide brief background on the letter writer, e.g., give their position, what they research and/or teach, and mention they have supervised many graduate students, if it’s true. Describe how the letter writer knows the applicant.
Describe what the applicant did with/for the letter writer in class and/or lab. Describe ways in which this performance was exemplary. Relate this performance to attributes of applicant. If you had extensive interactions, e.g., over multiple research projects or class and research, these descriptions can be two paragraphs.
Describe the applicant's goals for grad school and how their experience, performance, and character traits indicate excellent readiness. If the applicant has poor grades in some area or didn't take an important class and the letter writer can be reassuring, do it here (e.g., "This is a notoriously challenging class," "The applicant was understandably distracted by some medical issues that semester," etc.).
If appropriate, e.g., if the letter writer runs a research group, state that the letter writer would hire the applicant and has no reservations. If the letter writer is at a teaching college, indicate that the applicant is among the strongest students and/or shows potential comparable to other students who have gone on to do great things. (The more specific you can be, the better.) Close by saying that colleagues should not hesitate to contact the writer with any questions.
Pro tip: Don’t try to emulate the professor’s voice, but write well. The paragraphs can be short. Avoid vague adjectives and unnecessary adverbs (“really amazing,” “quite thoughtful” etc.) because professors tend not to use them. Use facts to bolster your argument where possible, and include bottom-line assertions as well. For example, you analyzed a system of partial differential equations in your honors thesis to demonstrate the similarities between the dynamics of basketweaving and postcolonial trade strategies. You’re thus a technically adept, creative scholar.
I have seen people try to use AI for these letters. The resulting text is usually verbose and vapid. A letter like that will hurt you.
The admissions committee and other faculty reading this letter will be looking for indications that you can work through hard problems professionally. They’ll want to know if there’s any important context, including context you might have included in your personal statement, that makes your accomplishments even more impressive, or that explains why you suddenly pivoted in your junior year from majoring in philosophy to computer science. Obviously, if the letter writer taught you only in one class, they’re not going to be able to say much about your professionalism, and that’s fine. Include factual, relevant information that the letter writer would have access to, and frame things in the best possible light.
If you are woman or URM, avoid saying you as the applicant are hard-working, conscientious, pleasant to work with, nice, organized, agreeable, articulate, etc., or if you state these things, be sure there are plenty of other descriptions of your scholarship and acumen.
If it’s painful to write so many nice things about yourself, I understand, I’ve been there too. But it’s an important habit to see that for all your shortcomings and imperfections, you’ve achieved plenty, and you have potential. The ability to see both your strengths and weaknesses will serve you well in graduate school. And you should congratulate yourself for writing what is perhaps your first letter of recommendation (for yourself)—it is a useful skill. In graduate school and beyond, drafting these letters can come in handy when you ask people to nominate you for an award or when you’re making a last-minute request. I even know someone who was asked to write a draft letter of recommendation for their own tenure case!