Recommendation Letter Etiquette

Whether you’re applying to a summer internship, preparatory school or job, a letter of recommendation is an important part of many applications. But asking for a LOR can be almost as stressful as the recommendation process. Here are a few tips we hope will help:​

1. Ask Early
   Asking early is important for many reasons. First, you want to make sure that the person you are asking has a sufficient amount of time to write a good, well thought out, LOR. Additionally, some people might turn down your request for various reasons or may not end up being able to finish your letter in time. In these cases, the extra time will help you find a backup.
2. Make sure they have all the necessary information about the application
   Some applications have certain guidelines for what should be included in a letter of recommendation and how they should be submitted. Since letters of rec are generally meant to be kept private, you will most likely not be able to help your recommender very much in regards to submitting the letter. Therefore, make sure you do everything to make sure that the guidelines are as clear as possible.
3. Choose someone who knows you well
   When it comes to a letter of recommendation it’s important to ask for a one from a mentor who knows you well, not just a teacher whose class you got an A in. LOR are meant to paint a picture of your capability…