Velma Said:

I am writing a letter to my old principal for a CV reference?

We Answered:

Due to the fact that you are requesting a reference, you are writing a business letter. It is a bit more formal than a personal letter. Here is the format.


Your Full Name
Your Street Address
Your City/Town, State and zip
The Complete Date
(The information stated above should be on the top right hand corner. Begin one inch below the paper.)


The Principal's Complete Name
The School's Name (if this is his workplace)
His Street Address
His City/Town, State and zip code

Dear Mr. (Principal's Last Name),

This is the body of the letter. Indent your first sentence, that is go in five spaces before you start to type. You can begin by stating that you hope that this letter finds him in excellent health and how you appreciate the fact that he agreed to be your reference. State the categories or information that he needs to cover. If there is a form that he needs to fill out, then write that you are enclosing it and include the due date and an stamped envelope with the appropriate address on it.
Begin a new paragraph here by indenting again. You can wish him a "Happy New Year" for him and his family or whatever is appropriate. To lighten the mood, you can make positive references or mention some pleasant memories of the school you attended and how he and/or it greatly influenced your life.

Sincerely yours,
Sign Your Complete Name Here
Type Your Complete Name Here

(The closing, (Sincerely etc.) should be on the bottom right hand of the paper. It should be parallel to your name, address, city/town, zip etc.
Please Note: The letter should be typed in this manner and single spaced, unless otherwise indicated. Please remember to keep a copy of it and all other related correspondence for your records. Best wishes to you. Take care!)

Karl Said:

Do universities actually check with the people who wrote personal reference letter for the student?

We Answered:

Yes. The person who wrote your reference letter usually states the qualities and attributes that make you an outstanding candidate for admission. The university wants to make sure that someone actually thinks you have these qualities, and that you or a family member did not write the letter and add someones name. If the university is considering you they will most likely (some don't, they are too busy with applicants, have to meet a deadline, just don't care, etc) call or email the person who signed the letter. They will then ask the person questions that have to do with what the person wrote in the letter, and to give an example of that attribute. For example, if someone wrote that you were trustworthy, the panel is going to want to know how and why. Think of it like a job interview, they check up on your personal references to make sure you aren't a psycho, here they are figuring out if you are a liar. I hope you put someone that was an actual person!

Lester Said:

reference letter?

We Answered:

state the facts, how long you have know them, and "your" opinion as to their moral and ethical standing in the community