Would you please write me a letter of recommendation?
Most scholarship applications request letters of recommendation from persons of authority who can testify to the strengths and capabilities of the applicant. Students applying for high school scholarships frequently turn to their teachers, coaches, religious leaders or after-school employers for a recommendation letter. The strength of the letter usually depends on how well the recommending adult knows the student and what information that adult chooses to share in the letter.
Instructions
1. Consider whether you'll be able to write a strong letter of recommendation before agreeing to write one. If you are the student's soccer coach, for example, you might be able to expound at length on the adolescent's athletic skills but feel you have little knowledge regarding the student's academic skills. Knowledge of the academic skills of the student isn't the only basis for a letter of recommendation. If you have personal knowledge of the student's character and history, you can write to that effect. However, if you don't know the student well, it is best to tactfully suggest the student find a more appropriate person to write a letter of recommendation.
2. Make sure the student outlines your responsibilities as the letter writer. For example, has the student provided you with a stamped envelope for mailing the completed letter or are you supposed to submit the letter online? Are you expected to fill out a form rating the student's strengths in addition to writing a letter?
3. Print the recommendation on letterhead.
Type or print the recommendation on the letterhead of the organization through which you know the student. If you are a teacher or administrator, for example, the letter will appear more authoritative if it is printed on the school's letterhead.
4. Be sure to include details and anecdotes.
Personalize the letter, including details or anecdotes that demonstrate you have knowledge of the strengths of the applicant. Include information about awards or certificates the student has achieved and other hard facts that attest to the student's success but also provide character details that the student might not have listed on his or her resume. Describe the student's weaknesses as well as strengths.
5. Address the letter "To Whom It May Concern" and include the name of the specific scholarship the student is applying for, if appropriate. Edit your writing, checking for grammar and spelling (make sure you have the correct spelling of the student's name) and rechecking any facts. Though you aren't the one being assessed for the scholarship, your recommendation will be considered much more seriously if it is well presented.
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