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[snowbound]

One of my students is applying for PhD programs in English at some R1s, and I'm writing a LOR for her. I've never been on a grad admissions committee and don't work at an R1, so I'm not sure what is appropriate.

Obviously I'll talk about her academic achievements.  In our working-class, regional state school, she certainly stood out as a very good student indeed, but I know she will be competing against people who have excelled in much more rigorous programs. I want to say a few things about her personal background, which makes what she has achieved educationally more impressive than it might first appear. This student has a remarkable personal history. Poor, black, HS education interrupted when she got pregnant and had to live on the streets for a few months, no family support (mother tried to pressure her to find a husband, not go to college), has worked all through college to support herself and her young child.  And yet this student remains, upbeat, energetic, confident, very "together," and throws herself into her education.     

My question is: how appropriate is this background info in an application for graduate school? I know admissions committees are most interested in a person's academic potential, and I'm wondering whether talking about this backfire.

[seniorscholar]

Yes, please do. As DGS for several years, I was really grateful for references that told me such things, and it's much easier for you to say them than (probably) for her, since she overcomes rather than whines (which is one of the things that's wonderful) -- and sometimes, in those cases, students had not even disclosed racial or economic information that allowed us to nominate them for a special set of "Future Faculty Fellowships" which are awarded only to doctoral students "underrepresented among faculty in their field" (a nicely inventive wording, which allows the nursing school to nominate white males as well as many other departments to consider race as well as other special circumstances). Do, however, clear it with her: what (if anything) among this does she not want you to disclose?

[snowbound]

Thanks very much, seniorscholar, for putting my mind at rest.  I did clear it with her.  You're right, she hadn't talked about it in her application for pretty much the reason you said, but she was OK with me saying it, once I explained why I think admissions committees would want to know.

[systeme_d_]

Just FYI, I am in complete agreement with Seniorscholar.  I didn't post because she covered all the bases, and I suspect quite a few others felt the same.