What is a recommendation letter?

What to mention and what not to mention while writing an excellent LOR.

You may have heard a lot about the letter of recommendation while submitting applications to different universities, but what exactly is it? A letter of recommendation is, as its name implies, a letter endorsing a candidate for employment or academic advancement. A letter of reference, or LOR, is another name for it. When given to a student, this letter enables the admissions panel to learn more about the candidate. It goes without saying that this is a terrific tool for highlighting the applicant's strengths and most important information as seen through the mentor, superior, advisor, or faculty member's perspective.

For maximum impact, the LOR must be succinct, clear, and direct. It is a distinct letter, so a resume should never be included. The main cause of rejection or refusal for applications is due to this.

However, what makes a good LOR?

How do I create a strong LOR?

Writing a letter of recommendation involves following a few rules and considerations. The admissions committee can learn more about the applicant and the applicability of the recommendations thanks to these guidelines. Therefore, be sure the following are present in any recommendations you request be written for you:

1. A succinct description of their interaction with you. The letter should state how long they have known you and how you two have worked together, such as an advisor, mentor, member of the faculty or staff, a teacher, a supervisor, or a coworker.
2. A focus on whether the observation was direct or indirect. Direct observations always have a beneficial effect since they make it evident how much connection there is. For instance, working face-to-face is crucial and offers more value than being familiar with someone and having collaborated online. In this, the recommender only saw you working in a different group that was being directed by a different person than the one who is actually making the recommendation.
3. Your eligibility and suitability for the course, program, or study should be accurately assessed in the LOR. Instead of sounding more like an advocate, the recommender should place more emphasis on suitability. For instance, the recommender should include your academic performance in relation to a related course of interest and your rank position, such as top 3 or top 1% of the class/university.
4. A recommendation letter should never discuss grades or test results, unless it's necessary to interpret specific academic information. Repeating them in a LOR is a big no-no because you previously mentioned them in your application.
5. Private or sensitive information about you should only be presented if it is relevant or if it is deemed to be an essential need.
6. The recommendation letter should discuss the traits and distinctive contributions that you would bring to the university. It should also discuss the changes, impacts, and new knowledge that you could bring about. If comparison material is supported with instances of real-world context and a justification for the comparison, it strengthens your LOR. For instance, mentioning how you, the applicant, stood out among the "X" number of students in the recommender's class (with examples of initiatives taken by you.)

Never forget this!

In a word, the finest recommendation letters are written by people who willingly agree to do so and are not under any pressure. For instance, what good is asking someone to write a recommendation if they don't have time or are too busy and only manage to write 50 words instead of 200–250? It is worst to write a letter that is hazy, sloppy, and hurried. A recommendation ought to come from a person with the required standing; this would lend the letter more authority.

Therefore, choose someone carefully when asking them to write a letter of recommendation for you. The recommendation is frequently written by a person with whom the candidate has a good rapport and who is easy to work with as opposed to a strict mentor who is challenging to deal with. Therefore, before making a formal request for one, it is crucial that you have a thorough conversation and discuss the need for a recommendation letter. Before writing your letter of recommendation, the recommender should be aware of a brief remark, a summary of the course, and your areas of interest. Just be careful to include dates of association that are precise and easy to understand.

Because a strong recommendation letter can go a long way toward advancing your application reach out to our counselors if you need any assistance with your letter of reference; they would be more than happy to assist you.