Requesting Your Letters of Recommendation for Scholarship Application

When you are applying for scholarships or for admission applications, there comes a time where you need to ask for recommendation letters. Since the basic requirement for most scholarship applications includes letters of recommendation, you might come across several questions as you are completing this part of the application requirement. 

In order to help you guys out, we have answered four major questions regarding this process, and if you have any questions regarding this post, make sure to leave your comments or questions in the section down below.

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Who Should You Ask for Recommendations?

The first major step of this process is selecting the people that you want to write a personal letter of recommendation for you. Since letters of recommendation involve quite a bit of writing, you need to ask teachers or counselors around you who can write well. 

In addition, you cannot ask people who hold biased (always good) opinions toward you such as close friends and family members. Due to this reason, make sure to pick teachers, school principals, or school counselors who have spent quite a bit of time with you. 

If you are homeschooled, you probably have participated in extracurricular activities. If you have done so, ask your group leader or your work supervisor for that letter of recommendation since you need that letter to be written by people with an unbiased perspective.

When Should You Ask for Recommendations?

This is probably the most important part of this post since the right timing can make or break the quality of your recommendation letter. After selecting the right people, you need to ask well before the deadline is due. Do you know why?

If you are asking someone for a letter of recommendation, you are basically asking for a personal favor. And by giving them plenty of time to write that letter, you are showing your respect for that person and not forcing them to change their schedule to meet your last-minute demands. 

When asking for letters of recommendation, don’t ask the people when they have places to go and people to meet. Instead, schedule a time with your recommender, so that you can lay out your question without rushing for their answer. Also, if you want to apply for full scholarships for international students, be sure to do so by clicking the link. 

How Do You Ask for Recommendations?

As I have said before, you need to find the right timing, and after finding the right timing, you might need help with finding the right wording. When it comes to the asking part, make sure to do it face-to-face. 

If you can help it, please avoid sending your request through email or messages, but rather set up a time with your teacher to ask them in person. When asking your potential recommender, honestly state your intentions and why you need that letter of recommendation. 

Also, tell them the reasons why that he/she is the best person for writing that letter of recommendation, and give them time to refuse. For most cases, they will accept your request, and if they do, make sure to get their email address so that they can receive the link to fill out your recommendation letter. 

What Should You Do After All Is Done and Over?

After asking the recommender for a personal favor, you just need to wait for the scholarship submission deadline to be done and over with. After the scholarship deadline has passed and all the recommendation letters have been submitted, you need to finish this off with one last flourish. 

As I have mentioned earlier, you are asking for a personal favor, so write them a thank-you letter with a small present as a token of appreciation. They will definitely love your gestures of thanks, and probably you can ask them for another favor if an occasion arises.

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