Letters of Recommendation

Recommendation Letter Request Survey

IF YOU ARE APPLYING TO A TEXAS PUBLIC UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE, a letter of recommendation from Lamar is usually not needed and you do not have to complete this survey.

IF YOU ARE APPLYING TO PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES OR FOR SCHOLARSHIPS that require a letter of recommendation, careful completion of the Recommendation Request Survey is important to have a personal and informative letter written about you.

REQUIRED QUESTIONS: Numbers 1 – 17 are required for students completing this form.
OPTIONAL QUESTIONS: Numbers 18 – 28 are optional. Choose only those questions that fit you best. It is better to answer fewer questions with more information than many questions with only a sentence or two. Don’t answer all 27 questions!

BRING THESE ANSWERS WITH YOUR ENVELOPES AND FORMS needing a recommendation. If you have a resume, include that as well.

REQUIRED QUESTIONS: Numbers 1 - 17

1. List all the colleges you are applying to that must include a letter of recommendation from your Academic Dean. Include scholarship applications that require a letter too.
2. List 4 words that describe you the best. Which of these words would your friends least likely use to describe you? Why?
3. What do you plan to study in college? What made you decide on that?
4. What is something you have done or participated in anytime during the last 4 years that has made you proud of yourself? Please explain.
5. How do you spend your free time? If you have worked, was it for experience or family necessity? Please explain.
6. Describe any leadership you have shown during high school. This can be at school, in activities, church or work. Please explain and don’t just list positions you have held.
7. Have you overcome any obstacles during high school – financial, personal loss, illness, or the like? Describe the obstacle and how you handled it.
8. Have you received any awards or recognition in or out of school? If so, please identify them.
9. What have you contributed to Lamar? Has your involvement made a difference for any individual, group, or life in general at Lamar?
10. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned? Please explain. (This doesn’t have to necessarily have come from a good experience.)
11. Why will colleges want to select you to attend their school?
12. What is your greatest personal strength? How has this helped you?
13. Are you the first generation in your family to go to college?
14. What didn’t we ask you? Include anything you would like us to know about you for your letter of recommendation.
15. FOR YOUR PARENT(S): What do we need to know about your child to write a personal and insightful letter? Include examples whenever possible. You could consider the following areas: Major events that were turning points in their development. We are proud of our child because… Why will your child be accomplished in studies and/or leadership in college and beyond? Is there anything you wish to add about family educational background, special circumstances, or medical history?
16. IF YOU ARE AN IB DIPLOMA CANDIDATE: Why did you decide to do the IB diploma? What made you stay with it when others left the program? What did you write your extended essay on? What made you choose that topic?
17. Have you had a job while in high school? Are you currently working? Please give details.

OPTIONAL QUESTIONS: Choose only those following that fit you best.

18. Is there something outside of school that you have taken time to learn about that was not a school assignment? What was it and what did you do to learn about it?
19. What motivates you to do the things you do?
20. What is important to you?
21. Do you read books that are not assigned for school? What kind? List your favorite or most recently read titles.
22. Are you competitive/Not? How so: “I want to be first..I want to be best….I’m happy the way I am”…or something else? Will you elaborate?
23. What has been your greatest disappointment or fear and how did you work through it?
24. Why are you a good match for the college(s) you selected? Make your answer specific for each school if you can.
25. Are there activities or organizations you plan to be involved in during college? How will you contribute to life at your university?
26. What makes you interesting?
27. Is there some skill, talent or activity you have participated in over time? Describe it, its value to you and the length of time you have pursued it.
28. What has been your most meaningful extracurricular activity you participated in during high school? Why was it meaningful to you?