A Quick Guide to Letters of recommendation

First, let's knock out a few frequently asked questions:

What is a letter of recommendation:

A letter of recommendation is basically a co-sign from influential people in your life. The letter of rec helps an organization get a better idea of your character! 

Who can give me a letter of rec?

No, you don't need Beyonce or the Queen of England for a good letter of recommendation. The person writing your letter of rec should have worked with you closely either in a classroom, organization, or professional setting.

This includes people such as your:

Teachers

Coaches

Employers

Community members/leaders

Best practices for requesting a letter of rec:

The best thing to do is make sure you're approaching your professors/teachers early and giving them 3 weeks minimum to write your letters of rec. The earlier the better!

Select someone that can actually give you a glowing letter of rec. For example, don't choose a teacher from a course that you did poorly in. 

The face-to-face request:

If possible (considering COVID-19 restrictions), always approach the professor in person or request to meet them during office hours so that:

A: They'll be more willing to write the letter for you (it's a lot harder to say no to your face, haha).

B. They can ask you any questions and get a better understanding of you.

C. They can remember your request/you can make sure you don't get lost in their inbox.

After having a face-to-face conversation, follow-up with an email!

The email request:

When you email them, briefly introduce yourself and your connection to your professor/teacher. Pro tip: Keep emails professional and avoid insanely long blocks of texts (quick paragraphs are your friend!).

Include:

What course you took from them

When you took that course 

How they positively impacted you and/or how well you performed in the course

Then, give a quick description of the scholarship and ask if they'd be willing to write a letter of recommendation for you!

*Most important* Include a resume that highlights key points like your GPA, academic achievements, awards, student org involvement, internships, etc.

It also helps to include a profile section on your resume that outlines your long-term academic/career goals. (All this information helps your professor create a more personal letter of rec that highlights some of your top achievements!)

If you need help with writing a resume, check out my blog post I made about how to do it!