Letters of recommendation

Getting letters of recommendation requires some thought. It is best to ask adults who know you well and with whom you have had a positive experience to write a letter of recommendation. It can be someone from your school (i.e., a teacher, a guidance counselor, a sports coach or a teacher who oversees an after school club). Or it could be adults who you know well that are in your community (i.e., a neighbor you have assisted, an employer or a scout leader). You need to make sure that individuals writing a letter of recommendation know if you want them to include in their letter that you have a disability. Again, this decision is a personal one and if you decide that information about your disability can be included, the information needs to help demonstrate what you have accomplished.

The process of requesting letters of recommendation has some unwritten rules and expectations:

* Always ask individuals if they would be willing to give you a positive letter of recommendation to a specific college.
* Ask individuals well in advance of your application deadlines (at least two weeks, or if you are asking a teacher or guidance counselor, check with them about how long they need to get a letter ready for you).
* Gather all of the information the individual will need and give it to the person at one time — such as a stamped, addressed envelope; the recommendation form or information requested by the college; the program you are interested in studying; and also a summary paragraph of your activities related to this individual to refresh their memory or a sample paragraph of qualities or traits that you feel you exhibit.
* Send your references a short thank-you note for their time and thoughtful consideration.