Scholarships

Letters of Recommendation

Most scholarships will ask you to submit letters of recommendation as part of your application packet. Scholarship committees request these letters in order to get another persons perspective of your strengths and character.

Who should you ask?
Ask someone you know well and who is familiar with your interests and accomplishments to write your letter of recommendation. This could include many types of people: teacher, employer, community leader, religious leader, or anyone who can provide the committee with specifics that will help them get to know you better. Your letter writer should be able to provide non-academic examples regarding your personality, including: interests, strengths, integrity, sense of humor, adaptability, or interpersonal skills. Keep in mind who your audience will be when choosing who you want to write a letter for you. Ask someone appropriate for the type of scholarship for which you are applying. For example, if you are applying for a veterinary scholarship and volunteer at an animal shelter then your supervisor would be an excellent candidate for writing a letter of recommendation.
When should you ask?
It is polite to give prospective letter writers at least 3 weeks notice. This will allow them enough time to write a detailed and thoughtful letter. However, be prepared if someone tells you No. It is nothing to take personally. The reason might be because they are too busy or because they feel they do not know you well enough to write a strong letter of recommendation. For this reason, you should always have a backup list of prospective letter writers.
Be Prepared
Give yourself enough time to have a long conversation with your letter writer. They are going to need to know details about you and about the scholarship. You can consider this time an informal interview. Supply the letter writer with information about yourself and responses to any essay questions that you will be submitting for the scholarship. Provide them with a written description of the scholarship and specific guidelines if the letter needs to be completed in a particular format. Inform your letter writer of other details such as: when their letter needs to be completed (is that a received by date or postmarked date?), whether they need to give the letter to you or mail it directly to the scholarship committee, and the address of where the letter should be sent. If they are going to be mailing the letter for you, it is polite to provide them with an addressed, stamped envelope.
Follow Up
Chances are that your letter writer is a busy person. It is best to send them a reminder one week before the due date (email, or note). Once the letter has been written it is always proper to send a Thank You note. You want them to know that you appreciate all of the time and effort that they put into your letter. As a courtesy, you should share with them the results of your scholarship application (good or bad). Keep them apprised of your activities too because they may be able to assist you in your future educational and professional pursuits.