Read on Twitter
Recommendation is an important part of your graduate school application. I will discuss how you can improve the quality of your recommendations.
Read and Retweet to inform others!
A long
1/n
Read and Retweet to inform others!
A long
1/n
In any graduate school or scholarship application, recommendation letters are usually required. It is that part of your application where you have little to no influence. Your referees are usually contacted directly to submit the recommendations. Most recommendation are
2/n
2/n
are usually submitted on an official letterhead but some are series of questions that will be answered confidentially by your referees.
Your referees can request your CV for some vital information but a robust recommendation goes beyond CV contents.
3/n
Your referees can request your CV for some vital information but a robust recommendation goes beyond CV contents.
3/n
You might be doing every other thing right in your application but a poor recommendation can mar your efforts. So do not trivialize the importance of a quality recommendation.
I will elaborate on how you can improve the quality of your recommendations
4/n
I will elaborate on how you can improve the quality of your recommendations
4/n
indirectly as an undergraduate or a graduate.
Before we proceed, bear in mind that the most appropriate time to prepare for a recommendation is when you do not need a recommendation. That sounds weird right? Don't worry, it will become more clearer in the subsequent lines.
5/n
Before we proceed, bear in mind that the most appropriate time to prepare for a recommendation is when you do not need a recommendation. That sounds weird right? Don't worry, it will become more clearer in the subsequent lines.
5/n
Are you an UNDERGRAD? Dou you wish to apply for graduate school scholarships or even jobs after school. Then, the following will help you to prepare for better recommendations.
1. BE NOTICEABLE
Your lecturers are your first potential referees and they need to know you not
6/n
1. BE NOTICEABLE
Your lecturers are your first potential referees and they need to know you not
6/n
just as an A student because it is easy to identify students on the two extremes of the class grade. They need to be conversant with others areas of your strength.
Sometimes, brilliant students are usually reserved in the class, but for the sake of future
7/n
Sometimes, brilliant students are usually reserved in the class, but for the sake of future
7/n
recommendation even more so for personal development, you need to actively and intentional involved in other activities that does have direct impact on your grade. For instances, volunteer to lead class discussions, group projects, make tangible contributions in class.
8/n
8/n
2. DEVELOP GOOD RELATIONSHIPS
Relationship is an asset money cannot buy. Relationship is a bridge that no engineer can either design or build. You need good relationship with your lecturers. You might not like some but you should not be resentful to any. Someone might
9/n
Relationship is an asset money cannot buy. Relationship is a bridge that no engineer can either design or build. You need good relationship with your lecturers. You might not like some but you should not be resentful to any. Someone might
9/n
look unapproachable but you need to get closer to confirm. As an undergrad and a class representative, I worked with various lecturers with different levels of temperaments. Some times we disagree issues but I always try to be diplomatic in handling them.
10/n
10/n
You will not need all your leturers for recommendation but that is not a reason to have a bad relationship with any of them because they will usually discuss you among themselves.
3. DISCUSS YOUR PLANS
As you progress towards the end of your undergrad, you might
11/n
3. DISCUSS YOUR PLANS
As you progress towards the end of your undergrad, you might
11/n
already know (in your mind) who your potential referees are likely to be but discussing your plans them when you have the opportunity is advisable. At that point you are not requesting for recommendation but it is a good time to know how supportive and encouraging
12/n
12/n
they sound. During subsequent interactions you can relate to them your intention to make them your referees.
4. APPRECIATE YOUR LECTURERS
Everyone value it when they are appreciated or celebrated, use every valid avenue to appreciate your lecturers especially your
13/n
4. APPRECIATE YOUR LECTURERS
Everyone value it when they are appreciated or celebrated, use every valid avenue to appreciate your lecturers especially your
13/n
potential referees. It might be during their birthday or when their are promoted to a new position. By saying this, I assume that you are a good student and you are not having issues with the lecturer's course so it is not perceived in the wrong light.
By so doing, you are
14/n
By so doing, you are
14/n
creating a space for yourself in their mind. In the future, when you need a help as in form of recommendation or otherwise they will be willing to prioritize you.
Recently, the rate at which most lecturers are receiving requests for recommendation are astronomical given
15/n
Recently, the rate at which most lecturers are receiving requests for recommendation are astronomical given
15/n
the number of students seeking for both local and international scholarship opportunities. So, you need to create a space for yourself ahead of time to earn priority.
Additionally, as an undergrad, utilize opportunities to develop skills to will add value to your CV.
16/n
Additionally, as an undergrad, utilize opportunities to develop skills to will add value to your CV.
16/n
After you have established good relationship with your referees, the content of your CV can further help them to improve on your recommendations.
Now, let's pause here and talk about things you can do as a GRADUATE to improve your recommendation.
17/n
Now, let's pause here and talk about things you can do as a GRADUATE to improve your recommendation.
17/n
OKAY! Now that you have graduated and probably you never taught you of recommendation while in school just like me, there is still room for improvement.
1. Let me start by sharing my EXPERIENCE maybe you can relate better that way.
I become aware
18/n
1. Let me start by sharing my EXPERIENCE maybe you can relate better that way.
I become aware
18/n
of the importance of recommendation after my undergrad while I was considering international scholarships; but I realized that unconsciously, I have been preparing for it as an undergrad. So, when I was ready to start putting out my applications, reaching out to my
19/n
19/n
potential referees wasn't much of a challenge knowing they will most likely honor my request.
However, while serving as a Corps member at the University of Ilorin and preparing to apply for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, I realized that having diversed source of
20/n
However, while serving as a Corps member at the University of Ilorin and preparing to apply for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, I realized that having diversed source of
20/n
referees can make my application more robust. Hence, I apply some of the points discussed above to consolidate my relationship with the head of the department who later became one of my referee for the said scholarship.
I also had good relationship with other members
21/n
I also had good relationship with other members
21/n
of staff in the department and more consciously with one of the professors who would later become one of the referees for my PhD applications.
The key point word here is relationship. It takes sacrifice for a lecturer or your supervisor at work with busy schedule to
22/n
The key point word here is relationship. It takes sacrifice for a lecturer or your supervisor at work with busy schedule to
22/n
make out time to write a quality recommendation for you. One of my referee once travel some distance she neccessarily does not have to just to ensure that my recommendation was submitted in time. So, good relationship is neccessary to earn such priority.
23/n
23/n
2. STAY IN TOUCH
Devise the most appropriate way to stay in touch with your referees, don't wait till you need recommendation. It can be by text message, call, or more formally by email. New month message, season greetings etc. can create good good impressions.
24/n
Devise the most appropriate way to stay in touch with your referees, don't wait till you need recommendation. It can be by text message, call, or more formally by email. New month message, season greetings etc. can create good good impressions.
24/n
3. INFORM THEM AHEAD
Do nor wait till you are about to submit your application before you inform your referees. Seek for their consent before you include their name in any new application even if you have told them about a similar one before. Give them sufficient time
25/n
Do nor wait till you are about to submit your application before you inform your referees. Seek for their consent before you include their name in any new application even if you have told them about a similar one before. Give them sufficient time
25/n
to respond and a soft reminder through appropriate medium will also help them to put you in their to do list.
Finally, if someone is not comfortable writing you a recommendation, do not force it, because it might not be good for your application.
Let me stop here!
26/26
Finally, if someone is not comfortable writing you a recommendation, do not force it, because it might not be good for your application.
Let me stop here!
26/26
