Asking for a Recommendation Letter

Ask early:

  • Give your recommender at least three to four weeks notice and then send a reminder a day or two before you need to pick up the letter or have it sent.
  • Last minute requests often result in hurried letters that do not really tell your story and that are often not as persuasive as they could be.

Ask individuals who know you well:

  • We strongly recommend that you ask teachers to write a letter on your behalf. Teachers often write the best letters and can provide the most helpful information for your application. That said, counselors and school administrators often write strong letters as well.
  • A letter that begins, “I do not know Sarah Smith well, but everyone speaks highly of her” is a disaster.
  • Do not request a letter from a political figure unless that person really does know you personally and can speak specifically about your academic and leadership abilities.
  • The most helpful letters of recommendations tell detailed stories about you and provide context to your application.

Provide information about the scholarship in question:

  • When you ask for a letter, make sure to provide a) an updated copy of your academic resume and b) clear instructions on how to submit the letter. If you are asking a teacher, it may also be helpful to provide a graded paper from the class you took from that individual.
  • Writers can be more effective if they know the audience. What are we looking for at the University of Arkansas? What do we want to know about you as an applicant? We would love to have teachers address some of the questions below.
    • What are your passions? What are your strengths?
    • How do you engage with social, political, and, intellectual issues and ideas?
    • What are specific examples of engagement out outside of the classrom?
    • How do you work with others (peers, teachers, administrators)? What is your work ethic?
    • In what ways are you a leader? A thinker? A doer?
  • We are not looking for repeated information from your resume unless something specific needs to be clarified or expanded upon or for superlatives that are not supported by specific anecdotes.

Be sure to thank your writers and to let them know how you fare in the application process.

For more information on asking for a letter of recommendation, we encourage you to watch our YouTube playlist on the fellowship application.