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Top 8 Tips Before Applying for Online College

April 2nd, 2012

Thinking about applying to an online college? If you are thinking about enrolling in an online school make sure you take the time to prepare. These 8 tips will help you make the right decision so that you can have the best online college experience ever.

  1. Determine if distance learning is right for you. Online colleges are not for everyone. So take the time to decide if this is the best fit for you. If you think you have the traits required to become a good online learner then go for it. But if not, you may want to reconsider, or do a combination of online and campus learning.
  2. Know what is available. Learn about all your options first, then decide which one is right for you. This includes the types of degree programs available, the schools offering these programs, and the time it will take to complete your studies. Depending on your preference, you can also choose part-time, full-time, or blended learning. Get to know about all the options available to you before you make a decision.
  3. Have a career goal in mind. Once you decide to go to college the first thing you want to do is to have some idea about your career goals. This way you can choose the degree programs and courses that will help you reach your goals in a timely manner.
  4. Determine your educational goal. What online program do you want to pursue? Do you want to earn a diploma, a certification, or an online degree? Knowing what you want will help you stay on track.
  5. Research several online schools. When an choosing online school, there are certain things that you will need to consider, such as the school’s accreditation and reputation. Only pick an online institution that will help you reach your educational and career goals.
  6. Learn about financial aid. Before enrolling in an online learning program, check with the school and talk to a financial aid adviser first to see if financial aid is available and to get to know if you are eligible.
  7. See if your employer will help with tuition. Talk to your employer to see if they can help with some of your college expenses.
  8. Make a commitment and stick to it. Commit to your online studies. It may not be easy at first, but stay focused and don’t give up.

These are the top 8 tips to keep in mind before applying to an online college. If you have a few tips of your own and would like to share, please do so below.

Templates for Writing College Recommendation Letters

March 30th, 2012

Do you normally use a template for writing a college recommendation letter? Did you know that a winning college recommendation letter template has five main parts, which are the:

  1. Salutation
  2. First Paragraph
  3. Second Paragraph
  4. Third Paragraph, and
  5. Conclusion.

That’s it! It does not require a lengthy letter to get accepted to college. Highlight the most important points and make it short and sweet.

Sample Template for Writing College Recommendation Letters

This template shows the format of a college reference letter which can be used by online college students also. Use it as a guide to make sure that all the important information is included.

Salutation: When writing a recommendation letter always include a salutation such as; Dear Dr. Smith, Dear Ms. Stevens, and so on. However, if you are writing a general letter without addressing it to a specific individual, say “To Whom it May Concern” or omit the salutation altogether and start with the first paragraph of the letter.

The first paragraph: In the first paragraph of the letter of recommendation you should provide information about who you are. However, don’t ramble on about yourself because the letter is not about you. Next, describe the person that you are recommending and what you are recommending him for. Also briefly explain how you know the person you are recommending and why you are qualified to write a college recommendation letter for this person.

The second paragraph: In the second paragraph provide supporting details about the qualities, abilities and qualifications of the person that you are recommending. So gather enough information about the person and learn about their accomplishments, talents, credentials and career goals. Here you want to give specific information about the person you are writing about, such as why you are recommending this person, whey they are qualified, and what they can contribute to the school.

The third paragraph: In the third paragraph, conclude your recommendation letter with a brief summary of why you are recommending this individual.

Conclusion: The concluding paragraph of a recommendation letter should include your contact information such as your phone number, email address and other contact information that you think is necessary. This way if additional information is needed, the school will have no problem contacting you for the information.

So this was it! Do you have a template for writing college recommendation letters that you would like to share? Please do so in the comment section below.

Five Steps to Getting Great College Recommendation Letters

March 26th, 2012

College admission offices take college recommendation letters very seriously, so it is crucial that you do your best to get the best letters of recommendation. Here are six steps to getting great college recommendation letters. Use these steps as a guide to make sure that your letter is the best it can be.

Step #1

Make It Easy

Have a chat with your guidance counselor or someone in the guidance office to find out how the school handles college recommendations, or handpick someone that you think is qualified to write a recommendation letter for you. If you are getting a letter from a school, the guidance officer will forward the teacher’s recommendations along with your transcripts and the school report to the college directly. Learn about the procedures beforehand in order to make the writing process easy for your teacher. The nicer you are to your teacher, the easier it will be for her to write a letter of recommendation.

Step #2

Decide which teacher you want to write your Letter of Recommendation

A very important part of your college application is the recommendation letter from a teacher that knows you very well. A good letter of recommendation will no doubt tell a good story about you — a story that shows all your good qualities and strengths. This is why you need to choose a teacher who knows you well enough and can highlight all your good qualities and who you know for certain will write a winning letter of recommendation for you.

Step #3

Develop Good Relationship with your teachers

The first thing you want to do is to establish a good relationship with your teachers before you approach them. In order for a teacher to write a good letter of recommendation, he or she will have to know a little about you. Be the first one to lend a helping hand in class and participate in class activities and discussions. Then make your choice based on your relationship with the teacher.

Step #4

Ask your teacher in advance for the letter.

Teachers are always busy and have lots of students to attend to and papers to grade. Don’t wait until the very last minute to request a letter. Choose an appropriate time and day when he or she is not so busy. If it is possible, request the letter of recommendation at least a couple of months in advance and way before the deadline.

Step #5

Ask Questions that will Change your Life.

Set up an appointment to meet with your teacher to talk about a letter of recommendation for college. Do not request it by email or over the phone. Let your teacher know that you have applied to college and would like to know if he or she would be willing to write a winning college recommendation letter for you. If you were a good student and have built a good relationship with your teacher, your teacher will be more than happy to give you a letter of recommendation.

Friends, try using these five steps to getting great college recommendation letters to get results.

College Recommendation Letter from Teacher

March 22nd, 2012

Prospective college students are often asked to submit letters of recommendation from a teacher as part of the application process. It is important that teachers should know a little about the person they are recommending and be familiar with their background, credentials and career goals.

Take a look at a sample college recommendation letter from a teacher.

Sample College Recommendation Letter

The sample recommendation letter can be used as a guide to help teachers as well as student through the process. Use this template for writing college recommendation letters to make sure that all the relevant information is included in the letter.

Dear Mr. Smith/To Whom It May Concern:

I have had the pleasure of having Jerry Smith as a student in my English class for two years at Southern Savory School. Jerry has been a wonderful student during those two years. In order to achieve the highest grades and my respect, he has demonstrated excellent leadership skills and has maintained the highest educational goals.

The academics at Southern Savory are most challenging, and Jerry satisfied all the requirements as well as honors and advanced courses. Jerry is an outstanding student with lots to offer. He has won many writing contests and awards for his contribution to the school’s monthly newsletter where extensive research, critical thinking, and persuasive skills are required. Jerry also holds the degree of Writer of the Year, and is a member of the State Writing League.

Jerry strives not only to represent his school but also to represent his community and fellow classmates as well. One of the requirements in my English class is to prepare speeches and guidance for students. With Jerry’s knowledge, maturity, and involvement in several school activities and clubs, he developed a strong sense of confidence with a pleasant personality. Therefore, I could always count on him to set the best example for others. Because of his natural ability to lead, Jerry was selected as our Team Head Captain. On account of his leadership abilities and mature approach to handling tasks, I often thought of Jerry as a colleague.

I believe Jerry would be an excellent addition to National Online College. I highly recommend Jerry Smith as the ideal candidate for freshman at National Online College. If you have any questions regarding Jerry’s qualifications, please feel free to contact me at (222) 333-4444 or Martha.Daniels@email.com.

Sincerely,
Martha Daniels, Ph.D.

Recommendation letters are often used by prospective college students during college admissions. The application process requires at least two letters of recommendation from prospective students. So, college students should take the time to learn about college recommendation letters and what should be included in a recommendation letter before approaching a teacher. This way they can have all the important information to get the letter started.

Please share your thoughts or any ideas about what you think should or should not be included in a college recommendation letter.

A – Z of Writing College Recommendation Letters

March 19th, 2012

Do you know how to write a recommendation letter for college? What are some of the things that should be included? Don’t make the mistake of writing the letter without preparing first. Take a look at the A-Z of writing college recommendation letters. This letter can also be used by online college student as well.

How to Write a College Recommendation Letter

Before you start writing a college recommendation letter, gather enough information about the student. Try to figure out unique qualities or other things that you can include in the letter that will make the candidate stand out. Learn about things that the person likes to do or have accomplished, such as internship, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and honors or awards.

Are You Capable Of Writing a Winning Letter of Recommendation?

One you have enough information about the person you should be ready to write a winning letter of recommendation. However, the first thing to keep in mind when writing a college recommendation letter is to be totally honest. Do not exaggerate the person’s capabilities. If you cannot be 100 percent honest, then simply don’t write the letter. Let the student know your reasons, then inform him or her that perhaps someone else might be a better choice and would do a much better job at writing the letter.

Overview of College Recommendation Letter

  • A letter of recommendation should be addressed to a specific person by name. Find out if there is a specific person that you need to send the letter to. If there is no one in particular, then send it to an appropriate position or committee.
  • Start by providing a little background information about the person and include your relationship with the person for whom you are writing the college recommendation letter and about how well you know the person also. For example, you can start off with something like this.

Dear Dr. Smith:

It gives me great pleasure to recommend John Smith to you. Mr. Smith worked with me at Gator Company Inc. for ten years, six of them under my supervision. We were also in the same management training program at the University of Silverstone. He has a strong work ethic an excellent personality, and so on …

  • Next, talk about factual information that shows the person’s skills, abilities, accomplishments, talents and experience. When writing a letter of recommendation, you should also include supporting details. This is the main part of the letter and should only take a couple of paragraphs. Keep in mind that a letter of recommendation should not go over two pages.
  • In addition, your letter should also show how this person will positively contribute to the school. If you know about any special accomplishments, honors, awards, volunteer work, or other achievements, be sure to mention them.
  • Conclude your college letter of recommendation with a brief summary. Remember, to always mention the college or the recipient of the letter.

Last & certainly not the least good luck to all our friends writing their college recommendation letters!

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