Blunders of College Applicants: Letters of Recommendation

Some students asks famous relative or someone with connections to the school for their recommendation letters.

This is okay if the person actually knows you. But if not, if the letter is really about the signature on the bottom, it will look superficial and won’t do you any favors. It is always much better to ask someone who has had day-to-day experience with you and knows you as a student. So if you’ve been a good student who participates in class discussions and has formed quality relationships with some of your teachers, coaches or mentors, you should have no trouble getting letters of recommendation.

When you have decided whom to ask for a recommendation letter, it is important to give them ample time because this person is going out of his or her way to do you a favor. If you rush them, the letter will be of lesser quality. But if you allow several weeks or a month, that teacher will most surely spend a little extra time, getting a little more specific about you and your strengths. Admissions counselors read thousands of these letters, and when a teacher really admires a student, they can see so immediately.

Make sure the letter writer knows some details about the school and the reason why you are applying there. You may have already decided you want to enter the engineering program. Knowing this detail will allow the letter writer to include more relevant specifics about your interest and background in engineering.

Once the whole process is complete and you’ve been accepted into a college, take some time and thank your letter writer. This can be done with a personal visit, a phone call, email or a thank you card in the mail. At the very least, this person did you a favor and it’s worth your gratitude. But if you had a good relationship with that teacher, they will be excited to hear the news and proud that they were a part of the process.

Back to Top