Lesson 3.4 · 3 minLining up recommendation lettersLining up recommendation letters
This lesson helps you choose recommenders, ask them in good time and give them what they need to write a detailed letter. A letter from someone who knows your work well carries more weight than one from an impressive title. Planning ahead also spares the people writing for you a rushed deadline.
Choosing who to ask
Look for people who have watched you work over several months, such as a teacher, a professor, a coach, a supervisor or someone you volunteer alongside. They can describe what you actually did, which makes a letter believable. The examples a writer can give matter more than the writer's rank.
Pick the recommender to suit the scholarship where you can. An award for future nurses is well served by a science teacher or a clinic supervisor, while a community service award fits the person who ran your volunteer project. Read the instructions too, because some sponsors ask for a teacher specifically or rule out relatives.
Asking early and asking clearly
Ask at least three to four weeks before the deadline, and earlier during the busy months of fall and spring. Ask in person or in a short email, and give the writer an easy way to decline if they are short on time. A hurried yes from someone who is overloaded can turn into a late or thin letter.
Tell them the name of the scholarship, the deadline and how the letter is submitted, whether through an online portal, by email or in a sealed envelope. If you need letters for several awards, say so at the start so they can plan their time.
Giving them what they need
Put together a one-page summary for each recommender. Include your goals, the activities and jobs you hope they will mention, a few moments they saw firsthand, and the scholarship's description or prompt. This saves the writer time and helps the letter fit what the sponsor is looking for.
Some applications ask whether you waive your right to read the letter. Waiving it is common, and many readers give more weight to a confidential letter, but the choice is yours. Ask the sponsor or your counselor if the form is unclear.
Following up and saying thanks
Send a polite reminder about a week before the deadline, and check the portal to confirm the letter arrived. If a letter is still missing close to the deadline, contact the sponsor and ask whether it can arrive a few days late.
Afterward, send a short thank-you note and tell the writer the result, whatever it is. People who write one letter for you are often willing to write another, and a note of thanks keeps that door open for renewals and next year's applications.
Try this week
- List three people who have seen your work up close
- Write a one-page summary for your recommenders
- Ask each writer at least three weeks before the deadline
- Add reminder dates to your scholarship tracker
Takeaway. Ask people who know your work, ask early, and hand them a summary that makes a specific letter easy to write.