Letter of Recommendation (LOR): Types and Expert Strategies

What is Letter of Recommendation (LOR)?

A letter of recommendation is an authentication of the qualifications possessed by a candidate. This is a credential that applicants submit when pursuing an advanced study program at a university, applying for scholarships or striving for a job opening. The letter further sheds light on the candidate's personality traits, academic achievements, and objectives. The person providing a LOR letter can be a mentor, professor, employer, advisor or colleague.

Now that you know the meaning of an LOR certificate, look at the different types of recommendations out there.

Types of Letter of Recommendation 

A letter of recommendation is a common requirement for studying and seeking a job at a foreign organisation. Therefore, it is important to understand the difference between the types of LORs, their importance and what makes them different from each other. Hence, take a look at the types of LOR depending on the purpose they serve.

Academic LOR

This is a common type of letter of recommendation certificate that is critical to your university application. Moreover, the recommender should be the one who has taught you recently the relevant subjects.

Written by: A teacher or a professor.

Details to include: This type of recommendation needs to include an individual's academic achievements. Hence, it can inculcate

• Various projects that you have worked on
• Your exam results
• Extracurricular activities
• Interactive work done by you with your classmates

You can also read this blog to find out how to write an academic LOR for a master’s degree: Letter of Recommendation for Masters.

Personal LOR

This letter of recommendation refers to the student's character traits. If you are applying to courses like liberal arts or ones that aim for holistic development, then you will need this type of letter.

Written by: A family friend, coach or mentor.

Key pointers: According to study abroad consultant, this needs to include the following details:

• Contributions to the community
• Leadership qualities
• Conversing skills

Professional LOR

Vocational programs and courses that require work experience may ask you for this type of recommendation. Mostly, students who apply for a postgraduate level degree require this type of LOR. It can further make you stand out among other applicants.

Written by: Employer or a colleague

Details to add: In this type of recommendation letter, the following information can be included:

• Your tactics for handling responsibility
• Teamwork skills
• Leadership qualities
• Soft skills

These are some common LORs you can get for your university application. Let’s see how you can make these compelling for the admission officials.

How to Write a Strong Letter of Recommendation (LOR)?

If you are thinking about how to write a strong LOR, then you will learn how to do so in this section. A LOR letter is a validation of the qualities and skills of a candidate, so making it worthwhile is essential. This way, your application will stand out among the competitors. Hence, let’s explore the details of writing a strong letter of recommendation for higher education.

What to Include in an LOR?

Although a letter written by the recommender freely will be more effective, a few key details can give your LOR meaning and make it more noteworthy.

• Relationship:The first thing that the recommender must explain is for how long they have known you and what your relationship with them is.
• Skills:The skills that they mention must also be relevant to the subject that you are taking up at the university.
• Anecdote:Moreover, to make the LOR more effective, they must involve examples that can provide further insight into your qualities.
• Conclusion:The last paragraph must summarise the different skills that make you ideal for the particular course and university.

Strategies for Writing Strong Letter of Recommendation

You can follow these strategies when writing a LOR certificate and get an excellent recommendation.

• Getting an LOR from an authoritative figure can have more impact on the officials viewing your admission application.
• Provide all the information about the university and the courses that you wish to pursue. This will ensure that the recommender is aware of the purpose of writing that letter of recommendation certificate for you.
• Additionally, provide them with details about your achievements and resume. This will also make the recommendations more effective.
• The examples in the letter should be concrete and not generalised.
• The details of why the applicant is a suitable choice for the course or institute is also crucial when writing a LOR.

Format of a Letter of Recommendation

The way you structure the letter can change the impact it will have on the reader. A well thought and properly designed LOR will look more remarkable then a haphazard one. Hence, if you are unsure of what LOR format to follow for writing the recommendation, you can use the following structure:

• Date
• Name of the recipient
• Title of the recipient
• Address
• Greetings
• Introduction: In this part, give details about yourself and how you are related to the candidate.
• Recommendation: Write about specific skills and strengths that make the applicant suitable for the program.
• Example: This can be a personal incident or any instant where you might have observed the specific skills of the applicant.
• Closing
• Contact details of the recommender
• Signature

Further, you can go through any of the letter of recommendation sample available online to better understand the format.

Conclusion

To wrap up, a well-thought-out and effective recommendation can help boost your admission chances. Moreover, be sure to ask for a recommendation letter from someone who knows your strengths and weaknesses. Also, to get support and guidance, you can contact our counsellors. Additionally, you can utilise the College Finder app to get a list of universities that ask for a LOR.

FAQs:

1. Why is a LOR important?

A strong LOR certificate will highlight your strengths and qualities. This will further help the admission officials decide if you are eligible to study at the university or not. It is also evidence of your ability to pursue a particular major.

2. What is the full form of LOR?

The LOR is an abbreviation that is used for letters of recommendation. This is a letter that validates a student for higher education, a job or a scholarship. 

3. How long should a LOR be?

Most countries can have differing formats for an LOR. However, generally, the word count of a letter of recommendation must not exceed the limit of 400-500 words or 2 to 3 paragraphs.

4. What is LOR required for?

A LOR is a document that endorses a student's academic profile who wants to pursue advanced-level courses. You can also learn about the course requirements with the help of the course finder tool. These can also be used by those seeking jobs in firms. This is a reference letter written in professional language and tone to:

• Certify your academic qualities and skills.
• Make your profile credible. 

Show how you are fit for the program.

5. Why do you need a Letter of Recommendation (LOR)?

Students mostly need a letter of recommendation for admissions abroad, scholarships, research, and jobs. The LOR letter provides insight into the applicant's personality and authenticates the candidate's various abilities.