As discussed above, a letter should shed light on your character and personality. If a letter states your grades, activities, and honors, then it's basically a reiteration of the rest of your application. One major pitfall for letters of rec is that they simply repeat a student's resume. The reason that they're bad is usually that they're mediocre, generic, and don't add anything special to your story. That being said, there can still be bad letters of recommendation. If a teacher, counselor, or other person doesn't feel qualified or able to provide you with a letter, then she should respectfully decline and/or suggest someone who might be in a better position to help you. Generally speaking, no recommendation letter is going to be outrightly critical or accusatory. What Makes a Bad Letter of Recommendation? If your teacher's face looks like Grumpy Cat's when you ask for a recommendation letter, she might not write you the best one. Now that you have a sense of what makes an effective evaluation-personal, specific, enthusiastic, and well-written- what about the flip side? What qualities make a recommendation letter not so impressive? They add something unique and interesting to your application and catch the eyes of admissions officers, many of whom read through hundreds or even thousands of applications. They show that your recommender took the time and thought to develop a powerful statement of support. A phrase like, "one of the top three students I've ever taught in my career" can be a powerful statement, especially if it comes from a teacher who has taught for twenty years at your school.įinally, the strongest letters are eloquent and well-crafted. Your recommender can rave about you while having the stories and examples to back up their praise.Ī recommendation can especially speak in your favor if it ranks you highly compared to other students. Those reading the letters should get the sense that the recommender was excited to write about you and inspired to help you on your path to college. The best recommendations highlight your key characteristics and demonstrate those traits through specific anecdotes and observations. Admissions officers want to get a holistic sense of what kind of person would arrive at their campus and how she would contribute in and out of the classroom. They should illuminate what drives you and what experiences have shaped who you are today. Reference letters should discuss your academic ability and potential, but they should also shed light on your character and personality. While applicants may share certain interests, grades, and activities (especially at selective schools, where a large number of applicants are highly qualified), your letters of recommendation can differentiate you from other candidates with similar profiles. Strong letters of recommendation communicate what makes you a distinct and special student. What Makes a Good Letter of Recommendation? Before we dive into the key questions to ask yourself when choosing a recommender, let's review what separates the good letters from the bad ones. That's why you should choose your recommenders with the same thought and care that you put into your personal essay, SAT or ACT prep, and other parts of your application. Are you debating who to ask for recommendation letters for college? Letters of rec are a very important part of your application, and strong ones can go a long way toward making you stand out among the competition.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |