Reference, recommendation, letter of recommendation…. Whatever term your dream university uses, we’re talking about the one piece of the application that you don’t have to complete yourself. So….hand off the request and head off for a nap?

Alas, even your favorite and most trusted instructor is only human. She may struggle to provide the background on you that universities want despite her best wishes for your success.

Luckily you can help, while giving up just a little in the way of nap opportunities. Take the time and a few simple steps, and improve your admissions chances with great references.

Who to Ask for References

Review application instructions to see what’s required. Typically institutions ask for between one and three references from individuals who “know you academically,” as the Universities and Colleges Application Service (UCAS). puts it on their site (with greater detail).

In most cases you want a teacher, professor,school counselor, or academic adviser. If you have a nonacademic contact enthusiastic about you, for example an athletic coach or  employer,  they might be able to provide a reference too. That depends on the university and can differ by field. A graduate business school, for example, is likely to want to hear from your employers.

Do not seek a reference from friends or family (or write one for yourself) as it could disqualify your application. Stick to people who know you well even if family or friends offer to provide “big name,” high-level connections.  University officials will not be impressed.

Don’t feel that you need to gather more references than required even if allowed. Do so only if that extra reference adds something significant. Admissions staff have limited time and will appreciate quality over quantity.

In choosing individuals to write your university references, consider–

• How well do they know you?
• How recently have you been in contact? Connections from more than two years back are not ideal.
• Do they appreciate your abilities? Take interest in your life, perhaps even beyond their classroom?
• Are they good writers? Interested in presenting you as an individual rather than relying on a form letter?
• How fluently are they able to write in the language of the university receiving the reference? Some universities will accept translations when necessary (typically signed by the translator and sent with the original) but it’s not standard practice. See this College Confidential discussion for more background on translations.
• What was your experience in their class? Did you excel? Did you struggle? A class where you were able to improve with hard work may provide an ideal reference opportunity even if your final grade was not the highest.

A Tale of Two Systems

If you are planning to apply to universities in the United Kingdom, start by visiting your school’s counselor’s office and seeing if the school has standard procedures for processing references..All U.K. universities use the online UCAS system. UCAS wants “referees” to provide background on their schools as part of their references, along with “predictive grades” in all subjects. They are expected to act as the voice of their school. Schools with significant numbers of U.K. applicants generally handle references as a team. Teachers will contribute and a single person, often a counselor, will then review and integrate their contributions.

Applying to U.S. universities? Your school counselor may still provide good advice but will not generally lead an organized team. U.S. institutions expect each reference to provide an individual viewpoint, not an institutional overview.

The nearest U.S. parallel to UCAS, is the Common Application, accepted for undergraduate candidates by approximately 900 institutions (out of more than 4,000 in the United States). If the schools in which you are interested accept the “Common App,” then you can save the person writing your reference (and yourself) the trouble of dealing with multiple individual university forms and questions.

When to Ask for References

The earlier you ask, the better. As university deadlines approach, many other students will be asking for references and there will be less time to devote to yours. If you have a good instructor the year before entering your senior year, asking at the end of your class with them is not too soon. A month before the university deadline will usually be acceptable. Any later than that means high pressure for your recommendation writer, and they may not be willing or able to take on the responsibility.

How to Ask for References

Ask in person if at all possible. Ask at a time when your referee has time to talk, such as during office hours or perhaps right after a class. Ask politely (of course!). Don’t assume the person will accept, and be appreciative of the time and effort involved.

You want to be sure that the person has enough time to do a good job and that they feel happy about promoting you as a superior candidate to universities. So you might ask something such as the following, “Would it be possible for you to write a positive recommendation of me for universities by [deadline]?” Also let them know that you have some excellent background information to provide that will make the reference easier to write.

Bring that information (described below) with you, but ask the person how they would like to receive it. You could schedule a time to talk through it together (often a good opportunity). And/or you could e-mail it (helpful for accessing links). It’s up to them.

What to Provide

Putting good information together for your referees is what really cuts into nap time, but it’s crucial for success. You want to provide something easy to digest but comprehensive, and tailored to each referee. Common content includes–

• List of the institutions for which you need references with their deadlines and links to their forms.
• Resume/CV
• Unofficial transcript
• Highlights of your class with the referee (and/or other experiences with them): what you achieved; your areas of particular strength and interest; what you particularly valued;, and examples of class participation, leadership, and/or other good qualities. (The Khan Academy website gives one good example of such a document.) Don’t assume a teacher will remember details of your accomplishments!
• “Brag sheet.” Here you can highlight the most important pieces from your transcript and CV and add accomplishments such as test scores, volunteer work, and even hobbies as well as your goals and more in a brief bulleted or Q&A format. Fastweb has one good discussion of building a brag sheet while the Unified School District of Los Angeles has posted a thought-provoking worksheet.
• If the person will be writing references for individual universities (as opposed to completing a form that will go to multiple schools such as the Common Application or UCAS), include explanation of what is special about each university and why you believe you are a good fit.
• Depending on the person’s experience and confidence writing references, you might offer copies of or links to advice on the topic such as that given by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and education media site WeAreTeachers.

Follow-Up

After meeting with your reference writer, e-mail them thanking them again for agreeing to write and letting them know you’re happy to help them any way you can.

If references haven’t been submitted by about a week before the deadline, make contact again, initially by e-mail. Again focus on how you might be helpful. Provide university links in case they are missing have those, along with deadlines. Wait a couple of days; then if you still haven’t heard anything you may want to follow up by phone.

After references go in, send a thank you. A mailed, hand-written note card can provide a nice personal touch. No gift is necessary; if you want to show your appreciation further keep it small. Or simply send an update as you start studies at your dream university. Learning more about what they’ve helped happen will likely be much appreciated and will keep your positive connection going.

And that nap? You will have earned it!