Who Should Write Your Letters Of Recommendation?

The process of preparing for college applications is akin to the process of building blocks, each piece is as important as the other. You may spend hours on your application essays, resume and college shortlist, but remember your letters of recommendation hold equal weightage.

The first step toward tackling your letters of reference is to choose your referees wisely.

Myth: Designation Matters

The general notion is that referees should be selected on the basis of their designations.

Let me bust that myth – the two most important factors that determine selection of referees are

a)how well the person knows you and

b) how well he/she can comment on your suitability for the program of study.

Moreover, remember that one size doesn’t fit all. Letter of reference/recommendation requirements vary as per program and country, it is imperative to take a tailored approach instead of blindly following your peers.

Undergraduate Applicants

For school students applying for undergraduate studies, selecting referees is a relatively simple process. A letter from your school counsellor or principal is mandatory. For letters from specific subject teachers, the requirement might vary between 1-3. Subject teachers aside, you can submit external letters of reference to many colleges if you wish to be endorsed for a specific aspect of your resume that is particularly strong. For example, if you have represented your school in basketball at the national level, your coach can write you a letter of reference.

Students often ask us which teachers should they ask for the letters of recommendation. And we always tell them, it should be the teacher who knows the students the most and can be expressive & communicative about what he/she brings to the class.

Ideally, it should be subjects the students are good at, cause that letter will display strong interest in the subject. But, the letters should also be written by teachers who know the students well and can write about how you have contributed to the class discussions, assignments and debates. That’s the kind of writing which will be far more beneficial for you than just submitting template letters of recommendations. Because admissions officer know when they are reading a template letter of recommendation. Those letters are pointless and boring! Letters should contain anecdotes and interesting stories that reveal the student’s personality. Stories are excellent for letting an admissions officer understand a student.

We help our students help their teachers with their letters of recommendation. And how? We help our students write anecdotes that they share with their teachers (which their teachers so often end up using). In order to be successful in college admissions — and in life — you’ve got to be dedicated and take charge of the situation!

PG/MBA Applicants

Undergraduate students wishing to pursue their Master’s may find the process of referee selection slightly more challenging. Most universities ask for two letters of recommendation while some ask for three. Furthermore, while some grad schools specify the nature of references – two academic or one academic and one professional, some keep it open-ended – one academic and one can be either professional or academic. These options may confuse you.

The best way to start is to make a list of instructors/professors who can be your potential referees. You can then assess your academic performance in those modules, your rapport with the professors and how long have they known you to finalize the choice. If you have to choose two academic referees, my advice would be to choose one who can focus primarily on your scholastic achievements and the other who can provide an overview of your scholastic and extracurricular pursuits. To elaborate, an Economics professor who has taught you Macroeconomics will comment on your dexterity in the subject while the Head of the Department will comment on your performance in class and your engagement in college activities. This apart, your professional referee can be someone who has guided you during your any of your internships and/or projects.

For a working professional applying for a Master’s or an MBA, the choice of referees may be far too many, considering past and present employers and a wide professional network. You must remember to select one referee from the organization that you are currently working at. Here too, select someone who has interacted with you closely and can comment on your professional abilities and soft skills. For instance, your Reporting Manager will be a better choice for a letter of recommendation than the Director of the organization as the former will present a clearer picture of your responsibilities and provide specific examples of your accomplishments. Moreover, it is advisable to choose the second referee from a previous employer or a different team/project, if you have been working in the same organization but have worked with different teams, projects and/or managers.

No matter the nature of your application and studies, please remember that it is important to approach your referees well in advance as you may not be the only person they are writing recommendations for.