Why, oh, why do people write “recommendation” letters like this? Did they somehow miss the clue train? Something similar (though not quite so hilarious) actually happened to me. I had asked my high school journalism advisor to write me a college letter. One day, about two weeks after the letter was due, I happened to notice the letter, signed and ready to send, on his desk. Here was the entire text of the letter:

David has done a good job as editor of the school newspaper, and I expect he will be a good college student.

Thank god I only asked him for a reference for one school (where, not surprisingly, I was not admitted).