LETTERS OF RECOMENDATION
You may need to provide letters of recommendation (LOR) as a part of your applications. These letters are used by admissions to get a better understanding of you, hear from someone about qualities you possess, and gain more insight into who you are as a student and what you contribute to your school or community. When requesting these letters, I would specifically request a “Character Letter of Recommendation.” Admissions officers want to learn who you are outside of the classroom! They know how you perform academically because they see your transcript and possibly test scores!
Before you ask someone to write a LOR, ask yourself these questions:
Does this person know me well enough to write a thoughtful and personal recommendation?
Will this person write a positive recommendation?
Have I given this person enough time to write a recommendation?
Why do I want to ask this particular person?
The most common people to ask for a LOR are teachers, counselors, school administrators, coaches, club advisors, job supervisors, or mentors.
People are very busy, so preparation when asking for a letter is key! Follow these tips when making your request:
Provide a RESUME (brag sheet) to your recommender so they know other areas of who you are. This will also save them time and help your application look cohesive, which will be appreciated. Make sure your objective is stated clearly.
Make sure you give plenty of notice. Asking last minute can result in a rushed and less thoughtful letter or your recommender saying no.
Most recommendations are submitted online through a portal or via email. Let the recommender know how they will receive your official request (Naviance, Xello, Common App, etc.) and the instructions for submitting the completed letter.
Saying thank you is a super important (and often forgotten) step when receiving a letter of recommendation. Be sure to reach out to your recommender to thank them for their time and effort formally.