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You owe it to yourself to
get scholarship money for school. Find out how to land a major component
in the winning equation.
Strategize
Your Way To Great Recommendations
By Feona Sharhran Huff
February 2001
The CollegeBound Network NewsClick --
The scholarship is calling for you. "Win me... win me," it
shouts in the far distance. Yet, the sound is crystal clear to you
because you're confident that it's meant for you. After all, you've
filled out every part of the application accurately, requested your
official transcript in advance, and you've written the required
500-word essay... quite well, in fact. Now, it's time to send off
your scholarship packet.
Wait! You forgot an equally important part
of the completion process -- the recommendation letter. "Recommendation
letters allow the scholarship committee to see you through someone
else's eyes," says Chris Vuturo, author of The Scholarship Advisor
(The Princeton Review, 2001). They also help to validate what you've
written in your app' and essay. But, you don't want any ol' recommendation
letter, do you? You want the best! To claim the prize with a stellar
letter, follow these four steps:
Step I - Select references that are relevant
to the scholarship and you:
"Try to choose references that have spent a considerable amount
of time with you and who can speak as to why you should be considered
for a particular scholarship," suggests Vuturo. In other words,
if you're applying for a journalism scholarship, don't ask your
science teacher to hook you up. Sure, he may be your favorite instructor
and can brag on and on about your straight A average, but his letter
won't hold as much weight as the one written by your creative writing
teacher or school newspaper advisor. Remember, a teacher who has
seen you in action and can boast about your skills as it relates
to the scholarship is key!
Step II - Don't wait 'til the last minute
to spring a recommendation request:
To do so is rude and inconsiderate. It
sends the message that your letter isn't important, and that "a
rush job will do." Take Vuturo's advice: "Make sure you ask for
your recommendation early in the year. Teachers, coaches, and advisors
tend to get busier as the year goes on. Give them enough time to
do a good job."
Step III - Share your background 4-1-1:
Although your reference may be familiar with your grades, athletic
ability, and school popularity, you should let him know about the
other strengths and qualities you possess -- those beyond the classroom.
"Provide your reference with as much material as possible regarding
your activities, awards, community service, and career goals," explains
Vuturo. Also, he adds, "you can make things a lot easier for your
reference by writing a paragraph explaining what the scholarship
is for and what you plan to discuss in your essay so that he can
touch upon those points in his letter."
Step IV - Save your reference a few coins:
Typically, scholarship committees require references to mail in
their recommendations directly to the administrative office. Do
your reference a favor and provide him with stamped and addressed
envelopes. It will show that you're strictly business and you believe
in covering all your bases -- including postage. It also says you
want to do everything in your power to ease your reference's load.
If you can commit to these recommendations,
there's no reason your letters won't impress the powers that be!
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· For more scholarship app' strategies, get Savvy!
· Surf InsideEdgeNewsletter.com's free Scholarship
News section for score-'em secrets.
· Girls: Michelle
Kwan's got a scholarship just for you!
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