What is a Letter of Recommendation (LOR)?

Letters of recommendation are the letters that people who have been associated with you professionally write to tip the scales in your favour with the admission committee. Therefore, the question that arises is whether a third-party record of your activities has bearing on your application. The answer is dull-sounding yes. The amount of importance attached to the letters of recommendation differs from university to university. Normally smaller universities hold these letters in much higher regard than universities with, say, a large number of applications. For smaller universities, a letter of recommendation serves to understand you as a person. Whether you are afraid of overstating or understating your achievements, these letters show the admission committee the candidate in a different light.

WHY A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION

Letters of recommendation offer depth to your application. Whatever has been stated on your application, in your CV is something that you have to say about yourself. A Letter of Recommendation on the other hand, offers a fairly unbiased perception about you. As mentioned earlier, larger universities do not really add importance to the letter of recommendation. This however does not go to mean that letters are not read. Universities in general are looking to add diversity and experience to the classroom. They want someone who can be engaged in the course they are enrolled in. They want someone who knows they want to be where they are, instead of just about any run-of-the-mill application. For the candidates who add value outside of the classroom to themselves, recommendation letter for University offers an unbiased perspective.

At times when the colleges are flooded with data about students qualifying in terms of scores and applications, universities following holistic admission processes look to have a more complete picture of the candidate. A glowing recommendation from a professor you know goes a long way in ensuring that your application stands out from amidst the scores of people applying to the university.

Universities are a completely new environment.

They are communities within themselves. Universities want to know that you have the capability to sustain in such an environment. Because, like it or not, university teaches one a lot including, but not limited to friendships made that last a lifetime, holistic approach to life and society, depth of courses, test of one’s interest in the said course, a better understanding of oneself. Universities need to know you have the intellectual curiosity and the knack to learn. This is where the substance of your recommendation comes in handy.

TYPES OF LOR:

There are two types of Letter of Recommendation:
Academic
Professional

Academic Letter of Recommendation:

Academic letter of recommendation for college are helpful to the students who want to Study abroad in MS or any kind of masters. Even for an undergraduate program, Recommendation letter for students are sometimes required. If you are applying for a bachelor’s degree, teachers and college professors will write letter of recommendation for students. If you are applying for a master degree, the LOR will come from the professors. An academic recommendation letter will contain your accomplishments as a school or college student in your respected field of study.

Professional Letter of Recommendation:

Mostly MBA programs abroad request for recommendation letter, a Professional LOR is recommendation letter from supervisor, preferably his/her immediate supervisor will draft recommendation letter for employee. The professional LOR will differ from the academic one, as this will not focus on candidate’s academic achievements but his abilities to work as a team member in an organisation, or team leading qualities he/she possesses.

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION OUTLINE:

Some of the questions candidates normally have are how to begin a letter of recommendation? What does a standard letter of recommendation layout? To answer the question, one has to remember that an LOR is not a copy of SOP.

Initially in an LOR, the reference (the one who is writing the letter for you) should introduce him or herself. Along with his designation in the institute and institute name. Then he can further proceed to explain further about his relationship with candidate, and can add the duration he has been in contact with the candidate.

The next step is more about the candidate himself. If academic letter is there, the teacher / professor will explain the subjects and projects they have worked together, along with qualities of the student. If the letter is professional, the employer will talk about the nature of the work, soft skills that candidate possess, and the experience on the job.

WHAT KIND OF LETTERS ARE EXPECTED

As mentioned before, these LORs are of higher importance to smaller colleges. Evaluating every LOR has a monetary cost to the university. To handle the huge influx of data from all the applicants, most universities are understaffed or do not have enough budget to deal with the same. Therefore, for larger colleges, these LORs are usually given only a cursory glance. However, a negative recommendation goes a long way in tipping the scales of the admission process against your favour. However, most recommenders are chosen by the applicants themselves. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that one would go to a professor one knew would not give a good recommendation of, or did not hold the said applicant in high regard. Therefore, universities generally expect positive recommendations only.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION?

These Letters also serve another purpose. They help the admissions committee in understanding where your interests lie etc. Therefore, it is important to think clearly about what should be in a letter of recommendation, and what to put in a letter of recommendation. LORs also help in highlighting skills that were not apparent from your transcripts or your CV. Most colleges are not just interested in what merits you have acquired but how best you have made use of the opportunities available to you. A good recommendation from a professor you know well goes a long way in answering these questions. They also help in answering questions about whether you’ve shown particular interest in a topic, whether you’ve worked on something that highlighted your interest or whether you’re building up for another interest altogether but have shown zeal in connecting the dots.

Since most LORs are positive, they merit no more than a cursory glance from the officers as mentioned above. To have your letter say that you were industrious or meritorious or made full use of the advantages presented to you is something that you find in any run-of-the-mill LOR. What the admission officers are really looking for is depth and personal touch in your LOR. They need to know you as a complete package that includes your academic, extracurricular and social life. While part of the process is to present yourself as best as you can, this becomes hard when one has confidence issues, or when one is in doubt as to what to present that amounts to significant importance on the resume to make it stand out. It is in this case, that a good LOR comes in handy.

An LOR has the potential to pass along a significant amount of information to the admission officers that helps in judging you.

WHO TO APPROACH FOR AN LOR

As mentioned above, an LOR is best made personal to give the admission officer an understanding of the person behind the application. It helps them put a face to it and judge the compatibility of the student in the university setting. In that regard, asking for a letter of recommendation should be addressed to the teachers and professors who you were close with in school/college years.

LORs generally come in a variety of ways. Some are borderline enthusiastic that make the committee wonder where you failed to stand out. Some are excessively generic to even merit a read-through. Though these do not hurt your application explicitly, they present a wasted opportunity. Because while having very few drawbacks of being drab, an LOR present humongous opportunities of tipping the scales in your favour. That is why it is best for you to sit down to discuss what goes on an LOR.

Each step of an average admission process is so designed that it provides the complete picture about the candidate applying for the university. Of all of the procedures, the one that's easiest to complete, but also the one that carries the most weight is the Curriculum Vitae or the CV. A CV is just a plain record of all your accomplishments presented on a piece of paper (two at most.) Since you're applying to a prestigious university and the task is quite simple, it can be quite daunting, leading one to procrastinate it to the end. Once one finds enough motivation to begin the task, one notices that there isn't much to writing a CV. All it takes is a knack to present yourself in such a way that the admission officer would want to skim all the way through to the end of the document.

The first thing to remember while writing a CV is that this is not the place for modesty. While it might do you well in real life, it does not bode well to be modest if you want to attract the attention of the university that thousands of similarly, if not more, qualified people are applying to. The basic contents of a CV are listed underneath

• Full name of the candidate in clearly visible size and font
• Address and contact number of the candidate
• Short-term goals during the time you would be at the college (Optional)
• Academic qualifications in reverse chronological order (Recent first and earliest last)
• Work experience/summer programs
• Other courses that you have done
• Co-curricular activities
• Extra-curricular activities including but not limited to volunteering work carried on etc.
• Other skills you have acquired
• Recommendations from any professors you have

Do's and Don't's of writing a CV

A CV highlights a list of your accomplishments. It is your chance to showcase and impress the admission officer. While not possessing such a descriptive chance to impress the officer as with an SOP, a CV is really concise. As metioned before, do not shy from mentioning your achievements. If you've score #3 in your class in graduation, feel free to include that as well. Many times you'll be surprised as to what matters while the officer is examining your CV. While your academic qualifications maybe mentioned chronologically, mention the other activities that you've done in the order that you believe important, whether or not actually chronological.

There is no need to type out full sentences in a CV. In all likelihood, the officer is going to skim over to key words. So it is better to give him just the key words. Be sure to use action words. For example, always prefer "Presented Research paper titled Gen Y: Workplace Productivity Conundrum at an International Conference in Mysore" over the whole thing typed out grammatically.

If you've done any college level courses during your high school or attained any other diplomas while doing your graduation, make sure to highlight them. Never use abbreviations where you can use the full form. Always assume that the officer would not know the abbreviation. Sit down and rack your brain to understand what you've done. While on the surface it seems like you haven't done much, you'd be surprised at how much pops up once you've sat down and jotted down everything you think could go onto your CV. Always remember that details from your High School only count. Please don't go around including achievements from your primary school or your middle school. The only exception is if the achievement was for a prolonged period such as doing an NCC Camp (Boy/girl scouts) etc.

Once you feel you have enough on it, work on organising it. Most CVs are made or unmade in major part by the presentation. Presentation shows clarity of thought. It helps the officer understand what you want to tell him and in most cases, makes the work of analysing your CV easier, and in a way you'd want him to analyse. In case you have a lot of things to put on the CV, always put the ones with more importance attached to them. It is important to catch the officer's eye with those first three achievements. That's going to determine whether or not he's going to read through the rest. Always remember to try to keep the CV to one page. But if you feel that it is going cross one page, make sure that at least half of the second page is full. Don't mail or send via post a CV with only quarter of the second page filled, and that too with unimportant descriptions about something lost in the last lines of the first page. The top of a second page always attracts attention. So make sure you type your CV out that way.

If you feel that second page is not enough too, and that it's going to the third page, re-evaluate your CV to trim it down to two pages. It is ideal to keep a CV within two pages. You have two ideal spots- one at the beginning of the accomplishments, and one at the start of the second page. Make sure you utilise them to your maximum benefit. While modesty is certainly not the word of the day here, exaggerating your accomplishments makes the CV look shallow. Don't embellish your achievements. Keep it simple, but don't downplay them

Always use bullet points. Bullets make the language seem more concise. Avoid using personal pronouns. Abstract subject language psychologically adds weight to your CV. For example, don't write, "I have excellent research skills." Instead type, "Received general acclaim to three papers published in national conferences." Always group relevant information together. Don't seem all over the place. It is important so that the admission officer will have a clear picture of each and every aspect of your achievement. And most importantly, always proof-read, rewrite, edit and repeat before sending it.

Once the application process is done, we wait with bated breath about the result. Once the result is out and we rejoice at getting admitted into our desired university or compromise with our second choice, we now have to understand the procedures to actually visit those countries for stay abroad. While the rules and regulations for different countries are different, they all require some things that are common amongst all of them.

The first and foremost thing that is required is your passport. Some states require that you have a valid passport for upto 12 months after your return to your native country. If you don't have a passport, it must be noted that passport application process typically takes around 4-6 weeks to get completed. However, there is an expedited process as well, available against a fee. However, some countries require you to surrender your passport well in advance (upto one month prior to the visa date). Therefore it is ideal that one plans their activities accordingly. Also, it must be remembered that personal travels and leisure travels would be impacted if you surrender your passport and therefore activities must be planned accordingly.

All Visas are available against a fee, and therefore would require a horde of documents. Carry along with you a supply of passport sized photographs as well. For some countries, there are agreements for Visa-Free entry programs. However, these are not typically applicable for students wishing to study. The only exception to this program is pursuit of those courses that won't offer a degree or won't add to your credits. While some countries take a Visa interview on a compulsory basis, others do it on a random basis. So be prepared for that also.

You would also need the admission letter from the college. While some countries ask you to submit the original, some are content with just the photocopies of the same. Some European countries ask for a means of scholarship or funding. If the college is funding your education in part of in full, you might also need, on the college's official letterhead, a statement mentioning what are funded (like tuition, accommodation etc.). The same goes with any other organisation funding your stay over there. Countries like UK, Singapore, Norway etc. also ask you a statement from your bank (on their official letterhead, of course) mentioning your creditworthiness and acknowledging that a stipulated amount of minimum balance is available with the candidate. UK sometimes also you for proof of ability to pay the tuition fees. Any document or acknowledgement required to be obtained from anywhere must always be on the official letterhead. This is particularly relevant for countries like UK where Visa is allotted on points basis. 40 points are required to be eligible for a Visa-Free.

For other countries, the degree of friendship between the country and the course that you have opted to pursue also carries an impact in deciding whether to allot the Visa or not. For some, your intention to return home after your course is important too. For the English-speaking countries, proof of proficiency in English is another requirement. If mode of instruction in your high school or graduation was in English, of a satisfactory level, then you are eligible. Otherwise, some preseribed certificate assessing your proficiency in English is required.

Work related aspects differ from country to country too. Students are generally not allowed to work more than 20 hours a week although it might be lower or higher on the said educational Visa. While it seem like these regulations are unrealistic and unduly harsh, the primary aim is to prevent students putting themselves at a financial loss, and to prevent bogus colleges from luring gullible students. This is particularly true with regard to certain events that have come to light in the US recently. Some countries also require you to have a police clearance so as to ensure you don't have any criminal background that may affect your stay here.

The next important part to be considered is the actual visa processing time. It may take from as little as a few days to months. It is important to read up thoroughly on that and apply well in advance so that we are not stuck waiting for the visa to travel. The other option that one usually exercises is to take a tourist Visa, and then, when in the country, actually change it to the student Visa. Once again, go through the website for details on the procedure to do it. The website is where you'll find the application too. In case a student is facing some problems with his/her visa, they should contact the consulate directly. If that still doesn't resolve the problem, the education adviser for the university can assist in the matter suitably, from contacting the consulate to lodging an issue with the sub committee.

For European countries, you are also required to state your presence in the country within a stipulated timeline. This involves going to the nearest station with your documents and registering yourself in the country. European countries and some non-EU countries also require you to have both life and travel insurance for the period of stay in the host country. European Union has a membership card for Insurance that you can log on to their website to apply online. This is prerequisite too, so once again, the rules are to be read thoroughly. Some require clearence from your banks too to mention that you're not in any debt. If you have taken an educational loan, they require you to get an acknowledgement stating that you have the required credit to repay the loan. The loan documents are sometimes required to be attached along with the application to be made.

As always, please be mindful of the deadlines and the timetable. Let not a forgotten timeline and miscalculated schedule be the reason you could not make it in time for the start date of your coursee or your program.

A research proposal is a formal document that outlines your plan for an investigation. It essentially convinces the reviewing committee or funding agency why your research is important and worth pursuing.

The key elements of a good research proposal are;

1. Introduction and Background
2. Research Question(s)
3. Literature Review
4. Methodology
5. Expected Outcomes

Overall, a strong research proposal showcases your research plan, its significance, and your ability to conduct the investigation effectively.