As you work on your college or scholarship applications, you will likely be required to submit letters of recommendation. In this article, we'll help you understand the purpose of letters of recommendation and how to ask for them! 

What is a letter of recommendation?

When applying to colleges or scholarships, you may be required to submit a few letters of recommendation as part of your application. A letter of recommendation is a formal letter written on your behalf that highlights your strengths, skills, and experiences in school and extracurriculars. These letters should be written by influential adults in your life, such as educators, bosses, coaches, or mentors. Strong letters of recommendation can be a powerful addition to your application because they tell the bigger story of who you are—one that your test scores or GPA may not fully capture.

How do I ask for a letter of recommendation?

Ask the right people

When beginning to work on your college and scholarship applications, we recommend securing at least two letters of recommendation. Take some time to consider who can highlight your skills, strengths, and passions. You will ideally want to ask adults who you have an established relationship with, such as educators, bosses or supervisors at work, coaches, or mentors.

We recommend asking adults who can write about different aspects of your experience. For example, your volunteer supervisor can write about your passion for community service and ability to juggle school with extracurriculars. Your boss at your part-time retail job can speak to your communication skills and work ethic, and your math teacher can highlight your analytical problem-solving skills and commitment to your academics. Taking some time to consider which parts of your experience you want to share with admissions and scholarship committees can help you decide on who to ask!

Ask early

It’s important to ask for letters of recommendation with plenty of notice—at least one month in advance. While it’s appropriate to ask over email, it’s always preferable to do it in person. Always thank the people you ask, regardless of their response, for their time and consideration.

When someone agrees to write you a letter, make sure they have all the essential information they need, including submission details, application requirements, and deadlines. Some applications will require recommenders to create accounts on their website and upload their letters there. Others may accept them via email. Others will allow you to submit them on their behalf. Be sure you have all of this information for your recommender before they start writing.

Make a brag sheet

In addition to giving your recommenders information about when and how to submit, it can also be helpful to give them your brag sheet. A brag sheet is a place to list all of your accomplishments, work and academic experience, leadership skills, extracurricular activities, and employment and volunteer history. Simply put, it’s a high-level overview of all your relevant experience that your recommender can refer to when they’re writing. Be sure to send them your brag sheet as soon as possible.

Send a thank you note

Always send a thank you note–either handwritten or via email–to your recommenders! They put in time and effort to help you take an important step toward your future, so be sure to take a moment to express your gratitude. Be sure to also keep your recommenders in the loop about the outcome of your applications. 

Have any questions about asking for a letter of recommendation? Text #College to 33-55-77 to chat with one of our advisors. If you're using a mobile device, click here to have the text message set up for you!