Tag Archives: recommendation letters

Guest Posts, letters of recommendation

Get a Great Letter of Recommendation

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letter of recommendation

Most scholarship applications require a letter of recommendation, some will require as many as three. The individuals you will ask to write these letters are called references.

Getting a great letter of recommendation takes a little planning on your part.

Here are 8 tips to keep in mind:

1. Start thinking early about who could write you a good letter of recommendation. Common examples include teachers, your principal, school counselors, employers, community members, church leaders, etc.… Anyone can do this, as long as they are NOT related to you.

Did you know? Teachers are the most common required authors of recommendation letters. It is important to build relationships with your teachers early to ensure that they will be willing and able to write you a good letter of recommendation.

2. Some people will serve as better references for certain scholarships. If you are applying for a community service focused scholarship, it would benefit you to get letters of recommendation from individuals who have interacted with you in this capacity. However, if you are applying for a math scholarship, you will want to ask people who can attest to your mathematical abilities.

3. If you are given a copy of a recommendation letter, make copies and save a digital version. These saved letters can be used in situations that do not require the recommendation to come directly from the author. But keep in mind that original, signed letters may carry more weight than electronic or copied letters.

4. Come up with a diverse list of potential references, e.g. not all teachers.

5. Provide your recommender with your resume. Even though you should be choosing people who know you well, it is helpful to remind them of your activities and accomplishments. This will make it easy for them to talk about your skills and involvement specifically, ensuring a more personal letter. You should also tell them what the recommendation is for, so they can highlight the reasons why you should be chosen.

6. If there are special requirements for the letter, these will be provided to you. Make sure you read them carefully. For example, some committees require:

  • A survey to be filled out by your recommender and accompanied by the letter
  • The letter to be printed on official letterhead
  • The letter be sealed and signed across the seal
  • The letter to be mailed directly from the author

7. It is a nice gesture to provide your recommender with all the materials they will need to deliver your recommendation. If the author needs to mail the letter directly to the scholarship committee, make sure you provide a stamp and envelop, unless it must be sent in an official envelop. Once again, read all the directions.

8. Send a thank you to everyone who gave you a recommendation. Send another thank you if you receive the scholarship, mentioning your appreciation for their role in you receiving the award.

Quick Tips:

  • Start early building relationships with individuals you may use as references.
  • Come up with a list of potential references.
  • Choose people who know you well. Most applications will ask you how long you have known the individual.
  • Make sure your references are good writers and that they are comfortable writing letters of recommendation.
  • Ask early for letters of recommendation, not only is this courteous, it also ensures that they will have plenty of time to complete the letter before the deadline.
  • Don’t expect to be able to read the recommendation for your approval, so choose your references wisely because many letters must be sealed.
  • Follow the specific requirements given on each application.
  • Provide your reference with your resume and any other information and materials they might need.
  • Thank your references, and send another thank you if you receive the award.

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Today’s guest blog post is contributed by ScholarPrep! The organization brings students, parents, and counselors together to prepare for the college and scholarship application process. The ScholarPrep Organizer saves time and money by encouraging students to start planning for their future now, helping them to set goals, organize information, and track their progress.

Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Will You Write a Recommendation Letter?

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recommendation letterRecommendation letters. Every student needs them. Almost every teacher dreads having to write them (see #2 and #9 below). Every parent nags about them at some point. It’s a part of the college application process and it should be taken seriously. No last minute panicking on this task—it requires some thoughtful planning.

Here are 10 steps to help you help your student complete this necessary task and secure a top-notch recommendation letter:

  1. Start thinking about who you will ask to recommend you during your junior year.
  2. Ask people who know you—not teachers or counselors who only know your name. This is a good reason to establish those relationships freshman year.
  3. Ask for the letters the first few weeks of school during senior year, giving the person time to craft a good letter.
  4. Provide a resume with the request. Teachers love it when students do this—it helps them recall facts about the student and gives them information to add in the letter.
  5. Ask people who know you well and can rave about your intellectual and academic skills.
  6. Provide them with the deadline dates and any additional forms they need to complete.
  7. Waive your right of access to the letter. This enables the person to write honest and accurate recommendations without having to worry about how you will respond. (Another reason to choose wisely).
  8. Talk to them about why college is important to you.
  9. Don’t wait until the last minute. The answer will either be “no” or you’ll get a form letter with little or no personal recommendation.
  10. Take these letters seriously. They are a crucial part of your college admissions application.

To avoid the inevitable nagging and constant badgering, start these 10 steps early and devise a plan that both you and your student can work with. Calendar and text message reminders work better than constant nagging, especially with stressed out teenagers.

Read Wendy’s post: You want ME to recommend YOU!?!

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.