What is the proper approach to apply for a LOR?

Almost all the graduate programs abroad require the applicants to submit their Letters of Recommendation (LOR) as part of their application processes. A letter of recommendation is a detailed assessment of a candidate's potential from the point of view of his/her professors/supervisors. It is written in support of the academic transcripts, certificates, resume, work experience, and statement of purpose presented by the applicant.

As a part of the application process, students are required to submit two types of LOR - Academic LOR and Professional LOR. This way, it helps the admission committee assess the candidate better on the academic as well as on the professional front. Given the fact that an LOR is a very personal document that must be written by an individual who has monitored and guided you closely, identifying the right recommenders and approaching them to write a stellar recommendation letter for you can get tricky at times. So before we even move further and discuss how to contact your referees to write you an LOR, let's spend some time figuring out who can be your ideal referee.

● Academic LOR: For an Academic LOR, it's important to note that your referee should have worked with you on a personal level and that too for a long period, preferably over six months. For this, you can approach your professors and lecturers who have taught you at some point in your college stint. You can also contact a professor under whose guidance you have completed a project. Now, whom shouldn't you contact? A guest lecture, a guest faculty or even the dean of your college (who you might not have interacted with much) wouldn't qualify as the right academic referee for you because they won't be able to outline your strengths and weaknesses in detail.

● Professional LOR: Just like the Academic LOR, the Professional LOR too must be written by someone who has directly supervised your work in the past. Therefore, your immediate supervisor at your internship or job workplace should be the best fit. Similarly, it will not be a prudent idea to approach the CEO of your organization (who you might not have interacted with) or your peers and colleagues at your workplace to write you an LOR.

Having clarified who all you could consider to be your referees for your Academic and Professional LORs, let's talk about the elephant in the room - How to approach these referees to write you an effective LOR? This section is the most crucial point of the LOR process. You can follow these steps while contacting your referees :

1. Start Early: The process of getting a formally certified LOR from your referee might take quite some time, which can even be a couple of months, based on your referee's schedule. Therefore, it's always advisable to reach out to them as early as possible so that they have enough time to contemplate and curate the content of the LOR. Similarly, it will give you some buffer time under your belt in the worst-case scenario if things go downhill at the last moment.

2. Credible LOR: Make sure that the LOR is printed on the official letterhead for its credibility and authenticity. If it's an Academic LOR, then it should be printed on the official letterhead of your Academic Institute, and vis-a-vis for the Professional LOR, it should be printed on the official letterhead of your organization.

3. Formal request: When you're requesting your referees to write you an LOR, it's always advisable to write an official mail. You should also apprise them as to what kind of an LOR you want, i.e. whether the LOR is for an Engineering College or a B-School. For the former, your referee could talk about the technical skills that you possess or the engineering seminars/projects that you've been a part of. For the latter, your referee could talk about the instances wherein you've showcased leadership skills or the way you have handled group projects/committees in the past.

Besides this, you can request your referees to frame the document in a way such that it contains all the essential aspects. Here’s a checklist for you to ensure your LOR is precisely how the college needs it to be :

1. It should establish the referee’s nature of association with the individual along with a brief description of the individual’s education or professional designation.

2. It should contain the qualities of the individual that the referee recognises as his/her potential strengths. It should also include the weaknesses of the candidate as perceived by the referee and how he/she is improving.

3. It should contain details that provide a factual description of the student or employee’s standing amongst his/her peers as well as a description of the work done by the student or employee in the project or event mentioned.

4. It should contain the qualities possessed by the individual (perceived by the referee) that describe his or her capabilities and determination towards the profession or study being pursued in the graduate program.

5. Finally, it should contain a conclusion paragraph that focuses on what the individual can gain from the university and how he/she can be a great addition to the Institution.

Does this entire facet of getting an LOR seem intimidating? Are you still not sure as to who to approach for an LOR so that it perfectly complements your profile? Then check out our Comprehensive Pack by virtue of which we will be able to help you not just with your LOR, but also with other aspects of your application process like Resume, SOP, Overall Profile, etc. You can also schedule your free counselling call by dropping us a mail at rubeusconsultancy@gmail.com.