The Importance of the Letter of Recommendation
- Choose Wisely
- Ask Early
When applying to colleges or scholarship organizations a good recommendation letter or reference could be the difference between acceptance and rejection. Some colleges/organizations will require one or possibly two letters of recommendations, however if they don’t ask for one it may still be a good idea to provide one, (unless specifically told otherwise). If you are unsure whether or not you should provide one, simply call student services at the institution or the foundation to which you are applying to. However for most cases a recommendation letter will usually be encouraged.
To fully understand why a letter of recommendation is important and who you should be asking to write one on your behalf, you just have to look at it from the perspective of the college or scholarship organization. The organization probably receives hundreds to thousands of applications so it can be difficult to select the best suited applicants for their institute. A good letter of recommendation could make you look unique and better suited than other applicants.
It is also important to realize that someone’s recommendation will be more valuable than another one. If the scholarship is the field of sciences then a teacher in the science department may be a better choice than your English teacher. If you are pursuing an education in business then maybe a previous employer would be a better choice than a letter from your football coach and a high profile community leader may provide immediate recognition and credibility.
Beyond applicability, you must make sure that whoever you choose to provide a letter of recommendation reflects and highlights your best qualities and strengths. Ask that person point blank if they can give you a positive recommendation if called upon. You don’t want any surprises.
When you finally have decided on your recommender there is still much you can do. Firstly remember to ask early so your recommender has time to write your letter or just in case they say no that you have time to find a replacement. Most importantly remember to help your recommender with the letter. It’s true that the letter needs to be from the writer’s perspective but you can also prepare a draft on their behalf and then provide it to them for final review, editing, changes, etc. Remember, they need to sign off on the letter. You can also make their job easier by letting them know what scholarship (s) you are applying and what the scholarship criteria is. The more information you provide the more customized the letter of recommendation will be.
For more information and samples of scholarship recommendation letters checkout the links below.