Letter of Recommendation for College FAQs
1) What is a letter of recommendation for college?
A letter of recommendation for college is a letter that is written on a student’s behalf by their mentor, teacher, manager, or counselor. A college letter of recommendation is meant to recommend an applicant for entrance to college by vouching for their character and academic performance.
2) Whom should you ask to write your letter of recommendation?
Consider asking people like your teachers, guidance counselors, and job managers to write letters of recommendation for college. Consider who knows you and your work best and then ask accordingly.
3) When should you ask for a letter of recommendation?
You should ask for your letters of recommendation at least a month or two before you need to submit them. If you’re applying to colleges with early deadlines, make sure that you ask your teachers, counselors, or manager far in advance so they have time to write thoughtful letters.
4) How do you structure a letter of recommendation?
The best way to structure a letter of recommendation is to start off with the recommender’s name and address at the top, followed by a greeting to the admissions team. The body of the letter should include an introduction explaining how the recommender knows the applicant, an explanation of why they recommend this student, a personal anecdote that highlights the applicant’s qualifications, a closing paragraph to tie everything together nicely, and a signature.
5) How long should a letter of recommendation be?
A college letter of recommendation should ideally be one page long, or somewhere around three to five paragraphs. Recommendation letters should be long enough for the writer to communicate why they are recommending you without adding unnecessary detail.