\opening{Dear ###,}

I am writing in sincere and enthusiastic support for ###'s application
for graduate study in ### at ### University.

I was ###'s instructor in our one-year senior-level modern regression
and advanced data analysis sequence, in [year].  The first semester of
this course is a pretty standard lecture-and-demonstration survey of
multiple regression, generalized linear models, robust regression,
principal components, and the like.  ### did pretty well on homeworks
and exams and earned an A in the class.  Although he was very quiet in
class he distinguished himself in email conversations throughout the
semester asking my advice on or reaction to various proposals for
statistical analyses for other projects he was involved in.  He
usually got at the heart of whatever he was working on, and his
inquiries showed a strong interest in integrating statistics with his
other fields of study.

The second semester's work is dominated by a semester long group
project in data analysis.  ### worked with two other members of the
class on learning about ###, using data acquired from the Center for
###.  With a little nudging from me, ### basically re-invented ###, to
try to predict ###.  The group's final project, which consisted of
conventional data analyses as well as movies of ### in time and space,
won first place in the Statistics competition at Carnegie Mellon's
annual undergraduate research symposium in [year].  It became clear in
my weekly meetings with the group, as well as in occasional group
``progress reports'' presented to the whole class, that ### had a good
picture of how everyone's work fit into a single group package; in
addition he was able to help his group members through various
technical hurdles (with new software, etc.).  ### was also the one to
obtain and clean the data from the ### Center for the project in the
first place.

Personally, ### is quiet but friendly and helpful.  I see a lot of
practical sense in ###'s work, and also a good intellectual signal.
### was very willing to learn in the class, and when what he learned
wasn't adequate for the task, he was more than willing to seek out or
try to invent new ways of looking at the problem.

In sum, I think ### has excellent potential as a graduate student; and
the interest he has taken in ### as a research assistant at ### here
in Pittsburgh bodes well for his continued success.  I think he would
do well at ### University, and I look forward to hearing of his
success in graduate school and beyond.

Please feel free to contact me using the information in the letterhead
if you have any questions or need any additional information.

\closing{Sincerely yours,}