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Most scholarship applications require that one or more letters of recommendation be attached. A scholarship letter of recommendation sings your praises but in a very professional manner. The letters are intended to show the scholarship review committee that there are people in the community who are familiar with your personal characteristics and your talents and abilities and are willing to put their support in writing.
Looking for a Valuable Resource
For many people, filling out the scholarship application and even writing an essay is the easy part. The hard part is finding just the right person who will write a scholarship recommendation letter in enough detail to make it a valuable resource for your application. The person must know you well enough to know that you deserve this scholarship and will make good use of the money academically.
The first step is deciding which scholarships you want to apply for so you can read the guidelines. Often the guidelines will ask for specific information to be included in the letter like the writer’s association with you and qualities you possess that make you the best candidate for a particular scholarship. In other cases there are no content instructions.
Give Some Guidance
When asking someone to write a scholarship recommendation letter, you want to give some guidance. This not only helps you get a letter that is focused on the scholarship you hope to land, but the writer appreciates the information because it makes the writing job easier.
When you look at high quality sample letters of recommendation for scholarship applications there are certain items that are always included.
- Statement that informs the reader of the writer’s qualifications
- Indication of how well the writer knows you
- Description of the applicant’s personal characteristics and qualities that are applicable to the theme of the scholarship, i.e. a teacher writes about the quality of your assistance as a classroom aide during summer break
- Specific statements that describe how your personal skills were applied in a couple of related situations as a volunteer, in school or on the job
- Express an opinion about the applicant’s potential in academics and a future career
- Required elements as requested by scholarship guidelines
The letter should come across as thoughtfully prepared. Statements supported by facts are worth their weight in gold.
Getting Up the Nerve to Ask or a Letter
For some reason people tend to be somewhat shy about asking for letters of recommendation for scholarships or grants. The reason is probably due to the fact that you are asking someone to do some bragging about your sterling characteristics. The key is to ask with a humble attitude and let the person know it will take some time and effort, and you’re very appreciative. You should also supply as much information about yourself as possible that is useful for writing the letter.
Who should you ask for a letter of recommendation for a scholarship? You can ask:
- Former and current teachers, instructors, or professors
- Nonprofit staff where you did volunteer work
- Past employers
- Coaches
- Club advisors
- Community activists
- Elected officials
- Religious leaders
- Professionals like attorneys or doctors
- Business leaders
The goal is to ask for letters from people who will be recognized as reliable and respected. A well written letter can make your scholarship application stand out in the crowd. Anything you can do to make your application more competitive is exactly the right thing to do!
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