Posted by When you apply to colleges abroad, there are many papers you have to attach with your application. These include your well-written SOP, academic mark sheets, and more. But have you ever heard of a letter of recommendation or LOR? It is referred to as a letter of reference, which should be drafted by professionals. However, study abroad consultants in Chennai can help you write a perfect LOR for your application.
An LOR helps the admissions committee learn more about the applicant’s capabilities. Thus, it should be brief and contain valid details to have the best impact. Also, remember that it is a separate paper that shouldn’t be combined with the deets written on your CV. Let’s understand the tips shared by education consultants for drafting a good LOR.
Guidelines for Crafting a Strong LOR
To begin writing a perfect LOR, there are some points you must keep in mind. For instance, describe your skills (academic or professional), achievements, strengths, expertise, etc. Thus, it is necessary to write valid points about the applicant while writing a LOR. Moreover, study abroad consultants in Chennai know the dos and don’ts of writing recommendation letters. So, whenever you ask someone to draft a LOR for you, don’t forget to mention these points:
Mention Your Link with the Referee
- The reference letter should contain details about your relationship with the mentor/faculty/supervisor/colleague.
- If a colleague is writing the letter, then he/she can add your behaviour to that of other employees in the company.
- If it’s written by a faculty member, then they can write about your skills or passion for the subject.
Must Include your Eligibility
- A LOR should carry accurate details about your eligibility and skills for the program you want to study.
- Also, the priority should be on suitability more, or it will sound like the recommender is praising you.
- For instance, they can mention how you managed to be in top ranker in the class/college.
Never Mention Grades or Scores
- A LOR should never contain your academic result or score on any competitive tests.
- Since your SOP is sufficient to add academic details and other points, thus repeating them in LOR is strictly no.
- However, if you want to showcase your education, then mention performance during the course rather than grades achieved.
Describe Personal Qualities
- In addition to academic details, the LOR should also contain the personal qualities of the candidate.
- For instance, their work ethics, leadership and interpersonal skills, and other suitable qualities.
- However, the referee can provide specific examples to mention these points.
Explain Why You’re Suitable for the Program
- Besides, the LOR should contain facts about why the student is suitable for studying abroad.
- This part can include how your past achievements and relevant work experience align with the program you’re applying for.
- Moreover, the writer can also describe how the candidate will contribute to the program’s goals.
Always End with a Closure
- Lastly, the letter should end with a final note that gives a summary of how the candidate is eligible for the study abroad program.
- Besides, the referee can also provide his/her contact details at the end for the program coordinator.
These are some major points to remember when drafting a LOR as invalid details can even lead to rejection of your application. However, study abroad consultants in Chennai can give guidance on writing a perfect LOR.
Further, let’s move on to the accurate format of it!
How Do You Effectively Format a LOR?
A well-drafted LOR should be structured properly and contain all the relevant details about the candidate. Thus, it might be beneficial for you to get help from overseas education consultants in Chennai. Since a letter should be written in the correct format and thus follow all the guidelines. However, a LOR can have three to four sections:
In the First Paragraph
The first section should describe the link between the student and the referee. It can also contain details like how long they have been in touch with each other. Moreover, the referee must add his/her profession or area of expertise at the end of this para.
In the Next Two Paragraphs
After completing the first section, the referee can start adding details about the student. Here, they can write two or more lines stating how the student is apt for the course they are applying to. For instance, highlight the candidate’s achievements (academic or others), skills and expertise, projects worked on, and more. In addition, add the applicant’s personality traits, which tell about their strength and social skills.
Moreover, the next section brings out the student’s contribution to any college or state-level activities or his/her participation in any voluntary activities.
The Last Paragraph
The last paragraph, or summary, contains the reasons why you are recommending the candidate for the course. Also, at the end, you can write your best wishes for the student as a final note.
Apart from that, be sure to use a format font and black font colour when drafting a LOR. Besides, format it properly with the right alignment set, enough line spacing, and paragraph breaks. However, study abroad consultants in Chennai have better points to write a perfect LOR to start your education overseas.
Conclusion
In conclusion, drafting a letter of recommendation to study abroad requires proper planning and attention. Since it is essential to add all the honest details about the student’s abilities and skills. However, with the points mentioned above, you can write a properly formatted LOR. Also, overseas education consultants in Chennai help in writing an effective LOR. So, to get more knowledge, you can even connect with an expert at Gradding.com.