| Your scholarship application is due in ten | | | | their signatures. They caninspect the |
| days. It musthave three recommendation | | | | documents before you send them in. |
| letters attached, and, so far,you have not | | | | Ahand-written signature is always best. |
| gotten any back from your teachers. A note | | | | |
| toeach of them last week hasn't gotten any | | | | Who should you ask? Does it make a |
| results. Talkabout strained nerves. All the | | | | difference? Yes, it doesmatter. Know this: |
| work to get the applicationready, and now | | | | English and foreign language |
| letters are halting the process. | | | | teachersgenerally write the best letters. |
| | | | They personalize themand may write from a |
| This is a scenario that repeats itself | | | | half to a whole page. They alsoproduce |
| hundreds andthousands of times each year. You | | | | results that have no spelling or |
| can avoid this problemby taking important | | | | grammaticalerrors. Again, and this is a |
| appropriate actions. Start by askingfor your | | | | general statement, coachesand physical |
| recommendation letters at least six weeks | | | | education teachers write the shortest |
| inadvance. This allows busy teachers to take | | | | remarksand may have many mistakes in spelling |
| their time inwriting great responses. After | | | | and grammar. But,go with your best options |
| two weeks remind them witha note in their | | | | regardless of teaching position. |
| mailboxes. Seven days after that make avisit | | | | |
| to their classroom. Remind them in person | | | | Use your high school letterhead, when |
| that yourapplication could be late and | | | | possible. |
| disqualified and that youwill come by in a | | | | |
| few days to pick it up. Thank him orher again | | | | Remember to ask your teacher if they can |
| and then stop by once more. | | | | write a positiveresponse. If not, move on. A |
| | | | probable scholarshipwinner fulfilled all |
| One way to avoid total mayhem is to ask for | | | | requirements with a big plus and wasin line |
| more lettersthan is really needed (awards may | | | | to receive an $8,000 award. Everything was |
| vary in the number ofletters neededIf the | | | | superexcept for one recommendation letter. |
| requirement is two for an award, askfour | | | | She assumed hercoach would write a glowing |
| people. | | | | response. He didn't. Don'tlet that happen to |
| | | | you. She didn't win. |
| If you are applying for more than a couple of | | | | |
| scholarshipawards (and you really should be), | | | | Follow the same time-line for all requests, |
| ask if the teacher orwhoever would be willing | | | | and rememberthis: everything in life is a |
| to put their comments on a CD. | | | | decision, make the right onestoday for your |
| | | | college scholarship success. |
| Remind them that you will be sending out | | | | |
| dozens ofapplications. It will save them | | | | ©2007 The Scholarship Doctor, Dale |
| time. Then, you willbring the letters by for | | | | Clifton. |