Letter of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation can provide college admissions officers a more complete view of applicants. It provides schools the ability to see beyond grades and test scores. Letters of recommendation are usually requested from teachers, school counselors and other professional resources. They can really make a difference in the college admissions process and when applying for scholarships. Please see the tips below on how to obtaining high- quality letter of recommendations:

• Start early- The process is not an overnight request, writing a letter of recommendation requires care and consideration and is done on personal time and should be respected

• Consider asking a diverse pool of people- Teachers, community members, advisors, and coaches are great options. Avoid personal and familial relationships

• Be transparent- make sure when you request a letter of recommendation you explain what it is for and what information the organization or scholarship is looking for. Consider sharing the application with whom you are making the request

• Give a Student Information Form to each person you are requesting a letter from. This form helps with the letter writing process by giving more information and details about yourself. 

• For more tips see the CommonApp.com PDF on asking for Recommendations.