Letters of Recommendation

It is probable that several letters of recommendation may be required to enter undergraduate school. It is recommended that at least one of these letters come from your guidance counselor and at least one should come from a teacher/educator from high school.

Key Points for securing a letter of Recommendation

1.     Develop a relationship with the educator/faculty member writing the letter of recommendation over the longest period of time possible. They should be aware of your strengths, character, and communication skills.

2.     Determine the best person to write the letter. Don’t force anyone to write a letter of recommendation. Notify them at least 6-8 weeks in advance of the letter being due. Take into account the educator’s schedule/time of year when approaching them. No one writing a letter of recommendation wants to feel rushed, and any student applying to undergraduate school does not want a rushed letter of recommendation in their application file. In addition, clearly identify the intent of the letter of recommendation to the recommender (business school, nursing school, college etc).

3.     Create a list of your personal and academic achievements that can be given to the recommender and used when writing the letter. You want to include specific examples of success and overcoming hurdles in high school or at work. Moreover, a recommender may be able to explain a poor score on your transcript that was not covered in the essay portion of the application. If the educator recommended taking a difficult class with a hard teacher, it may help explain a poor grade on a transcript.

4.     Set-up a contact system between the recommender and yourself using e-mail or telephone number, if any clarification is need on the letter of recommendation. Also, identify a date the application will be turned in so that the recommender can send the letter of recommendation near the same time.

5.     Give your recommender’s telephone number on your final application if the academic review has any questions. Be sure on how many copies are required and exactly where the finished letter should be sent. Provide an addressed and pre-stamped envelope with each letter request. Provide the full name, title, and complete mailing address of the person to whom a letter is to be written.

6.     Don’t use references from relatives, family members or people that don’t know you well.

7.     Waive your right to review the letters whenever possible. A sealed letter will have more merit during a review process.

8.     If you are asked to write a rough draft of the letter of recommendation, graciously accept.

       Sample Letter of Recommendation

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