Recommendation Letters are an integral part of a successful university application. You may not be used to requesting these, but it’s an expected part of the application process.
This article will provide you with a few tips to consider when requesting a Letter of Recommendation from your teachers.
1. Ask in person first
Don't surprise your teachers with an email request, make sure you are letting your teachers know beforehand you will be reaching out to them for a formal letter of recommendation. It will be helpful to them if you explain what program and universities you are applying for, what the due date is for sending them, and any other details or information they should know when writing your letter.
2. Send a formal request
After you have notified your teacher of your upcoming request, it's time to send a formal letter asking for a recommendation. This can be done through the BridgeU platform under the Teacher Recommendations section. Make sure to include the information you discussed with them in person such as the program/universities you are applying for, the due date, and any other relevant details.
Follow these instructions on how to request a letter of recommendation on BridgeU.
You can use the default template (as shown below) or, if you would like to make it more customized, you can enter your own message.
3. Include a Brag Sheet/CV
It can be hard for teachers to come up with content for every student, so give them a hand by including a brag sheet or your CV talking about yourself and your achievements. CommonApp provides an example brag sheet that you can fill in and send over and BridgeU provides a template for writing your CV.
4. Follow up before the due date
Teachers are super busy and it's likely you are not the only student who has asked for a recommendation letter this application season. Make sure you are following up by sending kind reminders a week or two before the letters are due
5. Express Gratitude
Saying thank you goes a long way during the application season. Make sure you are thanking your teachers for their time. This is good practice and common courtesy.
If you have any questions or general feedback - we’d love to hear from you! Simply reach out to our Support team via Live Chat or by emailing us on: hi@bridge-u.com and we’ll gladly assist you further