TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

Letters of Recommendation

By Barb DiAlberto

It is pointless to send letters of recommendation that don’t say something personal about you. You can get letters of recommendation from a teacher, guidance counselor, principal or assistant principal, someone you work for, someone you volunteer for, family friend, neighbor, etc. Basically, you should get a letter from an adult who likes you a lot, who will say wonderful things about you, and is not your parent or someone in your family.

When you ask these adults for a letter, be sure to give them a copy of your résumé. It will help them know more about you, so they can write a better letter. In your résumé, you should highlight extra-curricular activities, volunteer experience, work experience and awards. You can get as many letters as you want, but don’t send more than three. The schools will stop reading, at some point.

Again, you want someone who will say personal things about you. Just because a letter is from a principal doesn’t mean it holds any weight, unless the content really says something personal.

If the school does not specifically ask for a letter from a guidance counselor, you don’t have to get one from him or her. Some guidance counselors have 600 or more students each to work with. He or she can’t possibly know all 600 students well. You do not want someone who will take your résumé and transcript and throw the information into a letter. You want someone who knows you well.

There are some colleges that require letters of recommendation. If a school asks for a letter from a guidance counselor or teacher, that is what you need. Many guidance counselors have at least a two-week turn-around time, so be sure to ask for letters of recommendation on a timely basis. Many students ask the same teachers for letters of recommendation. Give your teacher enough time to write a good letter.

If you mail the letters yourself, keep the original and make copies. The colleges will accept them. If the college wants the recommender to mail the letter, ask him or her to keep a copy on file, in case you need more.

Remember: Don’t repeat what is already in your application (like your grades), but have the adults writing the letters expand on your strengths. Make sure you give the adults a copy of your résumé, on a timely basis. If done right, letters of recommendation will add information to your application, which can only help you.

FOR TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS

Tips for Writing Letters of Recommendation

If you cannot write a positive letter or the student has not given you enough time, suggest to the student that he or she ask another adult for a letter. Assuming you can write a positive letter in the time allotted, ask for the student’s résumé. It will give you additional information about the student.

Describe how you know the student, and how well. Select several qualities that the student has that you have observed. Be specific, and discuss these qualities in detail. Close with an endorsement of the student’s ability. If the student is applying to a “prestigious school,” you might want to add why that student is a “good fit” with that school. If at all possible, the letter of recommendation should be on business, school, or organization letterhead.

*Story from Fall 07 issue