A letter of recommendation (LOR) is an extremely important document in a student’s life, especially if they are planning to go for overseas education. The role of recommendation letters in foreign studies is often not highlighted enough, even though almost all study abroad programs require one. A recommendation letter talks about an applicant’s qualities, skills, and achievements, while illustrating their academic rigor. Here we discuss why a recommendation letter for students planning to go to a foreign university is an absolute must:
1. Highlighting of academic rigor:
Most students rely on enhancing college and university applications with recommendations from professors, advisors, and other academic mentors because it is perceived by universities as a validation of achievements for them. A letter of recommendation also helps verify their academic resume and provides professional and academic credibility to a student’s claims. An LOR format is stringent and they are often requested on official letterheads as proof of a student’s academic work in an organization.
2. Validation of candidature:
Letter of recommendation requirements for international applications is deemed extremely relevant because it provides an experienced, third-person view of your abilities and personality as a student. Apart from showcasing academic and personal qualities through recommendations, the purpose of LORs is to offer the perspective of an academician or a professor, into your merit as a student and validate your candidature. A good letter of recommendation can speak volumes about your dedication, commitment, and tenacity as a student, helping you demonstrate how you can be the perfect fit for the academic role on offer.
3. Valuable insights of strength and weaknesses:
Leveraging recommendation letters for scholarship opportunities is not uncommon among students opting for overseas education as foreign universities often treat LORs as a student’s objective character certificate. A letter of recommendation highlights both the strengths of a student and the areas where they need to improve that acts as a valuable insight upon which students can build their professional path in the future.
The impact of recommendation letters on admission decisions have always been significant and therefore, students must be careful while requesting a letter of recommendation from supervisors and professors. Students must ensure that the recommender they select know their academic journey well, and are objective, unbiased, as well as non-judgmental in their perspective.
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