Guidelines for writing a good LOR

Posted date: 02 Nov 2021

You may have heard a lot about something called a letter of recommendation or letter of reference, or LOR in short, while applying to various universities, but what exactly is it? A letter of recommendation, as the name implies, is a letter that recommends a student, employee, colleague, or coworker. When given to a student, this letter allows the admissions committee to learn more about the candidate. To have the greatest impact, the LOR should be brief, sharp, and to the point. Remember that it is a separate letter that should never be combined with a resume. This is the most common reason why candidates are rejected or refused. But what really is a good LOR?

While writing a letter of recommendation, there are a few standards and factors to keep in mind. These guidelines assist the admissions committee in gaining a thorough understanding of the candidate and the significance of the recommendation. So, when you ask someone to write a recommendation for you, make sure it includes the following elements:

* A summary of their relationship with you. The letter should state how long they have known you and how you have engaged with them.

* An emphasis on whether the observation is direct or indirect. Direct observations always have a favourable impact since they provide a clear idea of the level of contact.

* LOR should provide a thorough assessment of your eligibility and suitability for the course/program/study. The emphasis should be on suitability rather than sounding more like an advocate.

* Unless required to understand some academic data, a recommendation letter should never disclose any grades or competitive test scores. These are already mentioned in your application, so repeating them in a LOR is a no-no.

* Any private or sensitive information about you should only be presented if it is relevant or unless it is absolutely necessary.

* The recommendation letter should discuss the traits and distinctive contributions that you would bring to the university - what positive changes, impact, and new learning you would be able to contribute to. When presented with instances of actual context and a rationale for the comparison, comparison information strengthens your LOR.

In a nutshell, the ideal recommendation letter comes from someone who willingly decides to write and is not coerced into doing so. A hazy, sloppy, hastily written letter is worse than none at all. A recommendation should come from someone with authority and title, which will give the letter more weight. As a result, be extremely cautious when selecting someone to write you a recommendation letter. 

Many times, an applicant will obtain a recommendation from someone with whom they have a good connection and who is easy to work with, rather than from someone who is a tough mentor and difficult to deal with. As a result, it is critical that you have a lengthy meeting beforehand and mention the necessity for a recommendation letter before making a formal request for one. Before composing your letter of reference, send the recommender a brief note with a description of the course and your areas of interest. Just make sure you provide clear and exact dates of association.

Posted By

GSP Admin