Common Mistakes To Avoid In a LOR - Know here

Common mistakes to avoid in a LOR: We all know that a LOR is an extremely crucial document when it comes to your application for admission abroad. While you may think otherwise, the reality is that getting a LOR ready is not a simple task. There are many mistakes we make while preparing the letter of recommendation, some of which are not writing an individualized LOR, choosing the wrong referee, repeating your SOP and resume, inability to maintain proper protocol, lack of relevant information, spelling mistakes, etc. While an SOP and resume are prepared by you, a LOR is endorsed by a third party, which makes it a rather important document as it helps the admission committee to ascertain your relationship with your peers/seniors.

A lot of times, students pay attention to developing a brilliantly written SOP and resume, they often forget the importance of a well written LOR, which deters them from getting admission into their choice of institutions. In this article, we will talk about some common mistakes to avoid in a LOR.

Some common mistakes to avoid in a LOR

1. What happens when you choose the wrong recommender

The first thing to figure out while developing your LOR is to determine who your recommenders are going to be. One of the common mistakes to avoid in a LOR is picking the wrong recommender or choosing any just random person. The recommender must be someone who is aware of your strengths and capabilities and is able to pen it down in your recommendation letter for the admission committee and that too in a convincing manner. They must know the work you have done, your role and responsibilities, achievements and even weaknesses. If you are a student, it may be a wise idea to take your recommendation letter from a faculty who has taught you or under whom you may have undertaken a project, internship, etc rather than your principal who has hardly worked with you directly. Choosing a recommender who has hardly worked with you can turn out to be disastrous for your LOR as they may have nothing substantial to write about you. Even for a letter of recommendation for a project, it is always recommended to go for your project guide as your recommender since they know your role in the project.

2. What happens when you don’t give enough time to your recommender

Last-minute application rush and not giving enough time to your recommender is one of the common mistakes to avoid in a LOR. You must give your recommender at least a month’s time for them to come up with an impressive LOR for you. Apprise them well in advance by providing a letter of recommendation template and give timely reminders for them to be able to work on your LOR. If you approach them at the last minute and rush them up while expecting to be provided with an impressive LOR, we are afraid you are in trouble. The hurry would definitely reflect on your LOR and in turn, weaken your chances of admission to the university of your choice.

3. What happens if you don’t back your statements with examples

To be honest, the LOR does not hold value, If it lacks examples and instances and this is one of the common mistakes to avoid in a LOR. Examples and instances make your LOR unique. They make it stand out. Only generic praises in a LOR make the LOR also as generic as it can be and the admission committee won’t even half of it before putting it away and moving on to the next one. Suppose the recommender says that you have been an excellent student who always thinks out of the box and gives the most feasible solutions to any problem, they must back it up with an example. For instance, what your ideas were that the recommender thought were out of the box, any particular situation you faced in a particular and what your solution was, etc. So, the idea is to make your LOR as detailed as possible, filled with examples. This will show your true candidature. A successful LOR is the one that outlines your candidature in the most insightful way possible. Check the recommendation letter sample to get an idea of using examples and instances in your LOR.

4. What happens when you don’t mention your areas of improvement

There is no harm in using positive words in your LOR for your candidature, but you should know where to stop. Using phrases like “ABC is the best student I have ever come across” or “I have never known a student like ABC” are the most overused phrases and one of the common mistakes to avoid in a LOR. Showcasing yourself as a perfectionist will not better your LOR in any way, it will rather make it generic and unappealing for the admission committee. You would rather mention your strengths in a dignified way backing them with examples and instances as discussed in the above sections and alongside, talk about your areas of improvement too. This will make your LOR look like a genuine document that talks truly about your candidature.

5. What happens when you use a disinterested tone?

Having said that a LOR is a formal document, there is a level of personal touch required while writing itand ignoring it is one of the common mistakes to avoid in a LOR. It is always preferred to use your full name at the start of the Letter of recommendation followed by your first name in the rest of the document. The document should have some warmth in its tone.

Also read:

How to send LORs to universities abroad

Sample LOR for MS

Spelling mistakes in a LOR

Spelling mistakes are one of the common mistakes in a LOR. You must ensure that there are no spelling mistakes in your LOR. Such mistakes cast doubt on the credibility of the person who has written the LOR for you. You can avoid spelling mistakes by checking the spelling using a spellcheck tool on your computer and making the corrections. You should check and double-check the LOR before submitting it. You should make the corrections in the draft LOR sent by your recommender and then send the final draft without mistakes for their signature.

Mistakes in the length of the LOR

The LOR should not be too short, the ideal length of a LOR should be 600 words or about one page. You should request the referees to follow the guidelines given by the universities. Some universities even mention the word limit to be followed. It is best to share these specifications with your referee before they start writing the LOR.

While the LOR should not be lengthy, a short LOR may indicate that the referee was in a hurry or wrote it unwillingly. The LOR should ideally be crisp and engaging and in simple language.

These are some of the common mistakes students make when writing an LOR. If these mistakes can be avoided, then a perfect LOR can be submitted which will make a positive impression on the admissions committee.