How to write a Recommendation Letter for College Admission (Tips + Videos)

A Letter of Recommendation is usually written to testify to a college’s admissions officers about the candidate’s skills, character, and achievements. The terms Reference Letter and Letter of Recommendation are used interchangeably. A LOR is a formal document, and it is very important that you do not lie or alter the truth in it.

The person you approach for a LOR (your recommender) should be someone you know reasonably well. For example, you cannot ask a new manager who has been supervising you for a week to provide any authoritative comment on your abilities. Most often, colleges make it clear as to who is considered a suitable recommender, so it is advisable to stick to those references.

Read: Whom to ask for a LOR?

Even though someone else will be writing your LORs, it is best for you to know the whole process of writing the LOR. Here are a few videos focusing on the ways to write LORs and how to ask for a LOR:

Insider's Guide to Writing a Great Letter of Recommendation by Vanderbilt University

This video will help you understand how to write a great letter of recommendation for any school. Here the admissions dean of Vanderbilt University gives inside advice:

Reading, Writing & Education: How to Request a Letter of Recommendation by eHow

This video tells how to allow a person to tailor a LOR to keep it personal.

Letter of Recommendation Strategies by UC Berkeley Events

This official video from UC Berkeley talks about the strategies that need to be applied by both the student and the recommender.

 

Letters of Recommendation: Why They Matter How to Get Them! By TYT University

This video explains why LORs are as important as schools and admissions boards make them out to be.

How to Get the Best MBA Recommendation Letters by PoetsandQuants

Get inside tips and tricks as a former Harvard Business School admissions board member explains how to get the best recommendation letters for your MBA applications.