FAQ: Recommendations

By: Morgan Schultz

Recommendations. It seems like every program, internship, and college under the sun needs them. They may seem tedious and pointless at times, but there really is a reason for them! In this post, I’m going to run through some recommendation 101 tips. As a self-proclaimed expert on asking for recommendations because of everything I have to apply to, I’ll share some tips on what they are, why we need them and how to ask for them.

1) What are recommendations and why do we need them?

Recommendations are a way for those who do not know you personally to learn more about your character, values, and personality through people who  actually know these things about you. These most often take the form of letters, but there can also be conversational recommendations if the person is informally recommending you for a certain position. Letters of recommendation to college, summer programs, or internships show that specific committee who is reviewing your application who you are, what you are passionate about, how you interact with others, and if you would be a good fit at their respective program.

2) Who do I ask for a letter of recommendation?

Many applications tell you who you need recommendations from. For example, if it asks for a math teacher and you are not sure which math teacher to ask, think about which teacher knows you best and who taught a class that you were and are very interested in because they can speak the best about you and what you love.

3) When should I ask for a letter of recommendation?

As soon as possible! Personally, I like to ask at least a month before the recommendation is due so that the recommender has enough time to write it. Everyone has busy schedules and the recommender most likely does as well, so you need to be considerate of that. If your recommender does not complete the recommendation, send them a little reminder a week before it is due. Chances are they didn’t get a chance to get to it yet, or just forgot. Sending a quick reminder will let them know how much time they have and will prompt them to finish the recommendation.

4) How do I ask for a letter of recommendation?

Just ask! I was really nervous to ask my AP Chemistry teacher for a letter, but he was very enthusiastic about it when I did! There was no reason at all to be afraid.

Make sure that you have all the information they need before you ask, including: the due date, a brief description of the program, and why you are interested in it. This will show your recommender that you are very interested in being accepted, ease a curious mind, and show them what aspects they need to hone in on for the letter.

Some recommenders may ask you a few questions before they write your letter. This just helps them out because they may have a ton of recommendations to write and they may need to be reminded why you are interested in a certain topic, or give them ideas on how they can write your letter.

Remember to ask for several copies from a recommender in advance if you know that you will need them for several applications so that they are aware.