Choose the recommenders carefully. Recommenders are one of the crucial parts of your college application. They can share your strengths, skills, and who you are as a person in and outside of the classroom. It is important that you request recommendation letters from someone who can vouch for your achievements and skills.

Request a letter formally. This will not only show your respect towards your recommenders but also help you have a positive impression on your recommenders. Do not put down the recommenders' information without letting them know first.

Ask in advance. We would suggest that you ask for your recommendation letters ahead of time. The minimum time you should ask would be about 2 weeks before the deadline. If you can ask earlier, the better. Do not ask for recommendation letters at the last minute.

Include your skills and achievements in the email. If you are requesting in a formal email, you might want to include your resume or CV for the recommenders to know your activities and achievements. They may not know everything about you so it is a good idea to share your information. Do not share fake information about yourself to impress them.

Do NOT prepare a letter for them. It is not ok for applicants to write a letter about themselves and as a recommender to submit for them. It's unethical and disrespectful. If your recommender(s) cannot write well in English, they can submit an original typed document (in Burmese or Thai) with an English translation when submitting the documents.