Information That Will Enable Me to Write a Strong personal statement Graduate School, and let my adviser write a recommendation letter for me. I will attach my resume, which could help to be more specific.
The results of a survey of 143 graduate programs in clinical, experimental, and industrial-organizational psychology (Appleby, Keenan, & Mauer, 1999) indicated the following skills and characteristics (listed in order of their rated importance) are what these programs are most interested in learning about candidates from letters of recommendation. The best way to show that you have these is for a letter of recommendation to note specific examples (rather than just list “Johnny is hard working and motivated”). It is not required for you to fill in all the blanks; no one possesses all these skills and characteristics. Give this task some careful thought. Your time will be well spent, and I will be able to write you a stronger letter.
Motivated and hard-working
High intellectual/scholarly ability
Research skills
Emotionally stable and mature
Writing skills
Speaking skills
Teaching skills/potential
Works well with others
Creative and original
Strong knowledge of area of study
Strong character or integrity
Special skills (e.g., computer or lab)
Capable of analytical thought
Broad general knowledge
Intellectually independent
Possesses leadership ability
Reference
Appleby, D. C., Keenan, J., & Mauer, B. (1999, Spring). Applicant characteristics valued by graduate programs in psychology. Eye on Psi Chi, 3, p. 39.