How to Write Winning Letters of Recommendation

Recommendation letters are requested by universities as part of the requirements for getting admitted into their schools. It should be written by someone who has a significant level of relationship with you and allows the university to learn about you from a third party. These institutions want to see you beyond your grades, and a letter of recommendation makes that possible. They are usually written by a person’s past lecturer or employer, and just as the name implies, it is written to recommend you to the university by telling them why you are a great choice for their school and program. This document plays a huge role in your admission process, and that is why this article is very important, as it will guide you on what a good recommendation should be like. Although you will not be the one to write the letter, you should have a good knowledge of what your expectations should be, and share them with your writer. Let’s dive in:

1.     Good Relationship: Your recommender has to be someone that is familiar with you, maybe from school or work. They should speak to the specific attributes that make you a good fit for the program, and the only way they would be able to do that is if you were taught or supervised by them. Stating their relationship with you and the number of years they’ve known you for is also very important. Avoid vague letters of recommendation, as admission officers can easily sense it when recommenders do not have a solid relationship with the student they are writing for.

2.     Specificity: Your letter should state very clearly the points the admission officers should consider for your admission. After mentioning the attributes that make you a good fit, they should also give specific examples of when you displayed or demonstrated those qualities. You can give your recommender a copy of your resume when requesting for a letter, it makes it easy for them to have a solid idea of your personality and growth. Also, inform them of the program and university you are applying to, so that they will be able to speak to them directly.

3.     Keep it Concise: Admission officers have a lot of letters to read, so you don’t want to submit a lengthy and boring letter that will make them lose interest in your application. Recommenders should go straight to the point and not beat around the bush. In addition, your letter should not exceed one page, as anything more than that can easily discourage the reviewers. It’s more about the quality of what your recommender has written than how many words they have put together.

4.     Give them Enough Time: Avoid rush-hour writing by informing your recommender way ahead of time, and being very clear about the deadline. Letters of recommendation are very important documents that need to be paid attention to. However, when you request the letter at very short notice, your writer might not be able to give due diligence to carefully crafting their words to the best of their ability. Professors are very busy people, and you need to realize that and respect it as well.

The letter of recommendation is expected to be sent to the university by your recommenders, so make sure you provide clear details on the process for that. In addition, after you eventually gain admission into the university, don’t forget to appreciate your recommender properly, as such relationships should be well-nurtured. A quality letter of recommendation will provide good support for all the other documents you will be required to submit by the university. To get tips like this, and even more support for your academic journey, sign up on www.unyked.com and join our vibrant community of prospective students like yourself.