Top Mistakes People Make When Submitting Letters of Recommendation — and How to Avoid Them

Introduction

Consider LORs as golden tickets —they provide insight into what kind of person you are beyond your grades or resume. And this is the caveat: the best candidates often fail due to such common mistakes in letters of recommendation, particularly when they are written. Not selecting the best recommender or missing minute portal instructions can lead to mistakes that may undermine the rest of your application without your knowledge. The upside? These traps can be avoided with the correct approach (and some advice), however. Need pro assistance to ensure your LORs don’t kill your dream admit? Rest assured, you can get an error-free advantage with Gateway International today.

Top 7 Mistakes People Make When Submitting Letters of Recommendation

Section 1: Lack of selection of an appropriate recommender

The decision of who to make the writer of your LOR is as important as what is written there, but many applicants fumble when approaching this first stage. It is among the most common mistakes in letters of recommendation to use a famous person, a senior citizen, or an impressive individual instead of someone who knows you well.

The reason this common mistakes in letters of recommendation is so dangerous:

• Popular does not mean applicable
• The committees are not interested in fancy titles but real eye-to-eye insight
• Far, nebulous flattery is dull and unpersuasive

According to a recent report in The Times of India News, admissions offices have also been sensitised to prioritise content over designation; i.e., your passionate letter to your project mentor trumps your shallow one to your CEO any day.

How Not to Commit LOR-Mistakes: Finding the Proper Recommender

• Select a person who had direct supervision over your work
• Choose people who will be able to recall specific anecdotes or accomplishments
• Do a recommendation letter checklist prior to approaching

Initially, I did seek a well-known Dean to write me a LOR. It was Gateway International that recommended I select my project guide rather than the other, and that move alone helped me gain admission to Imperial College London. Ritika Looking to find the ideal recommender and avoid making the following letter of recommendation mistakes? Call Gateway International today – and begin your journey in the right direction!

Read More: Letter of Recommendation for Study Abroad: Format and Sample

Section 2: The submission guidelines are absent or disregarded

We understand that application portals can be confusing. However, omitting those small details is among the most significant general mistakes in a letter of recommendation that people later regret.

Traditional Mistakes in Letters of Recommendation

• Instead of uploading a DOCX, upload a PDF when the university requires it
• The failure to comply with the word/character count
• The use of emails to send letters rather than the official portal

Recently, The Times of India News reported that in about one in five LORs, formatting non-compliance is the primary reason for rejection of the LOR. Yikes!

How to avoid LOR mistakes and LOR submission tips

• Clarity on accepted file types
• Ensure the portal submission policy vs. the email submission policy
• Use naming convention policy
• Paste instructions in your notes

I missed out on a scholarship at the final stage due to my submitting my LOR in the incorrect format. The checklist was the second time saviour by Gateway International, and I was able to make my dream admission happen after all!” Mariam K., Gateway International student Prevent these mistakes in your letter of recommendation today with professional LOR submission advice from Gateway International. Please send us a message to get started.

Read More: How to Make an Impressive Letter of Recommendation

Section 3: Letter-Writing: Submission of Poorly Written or Generic Letters

It is not sugar-coated, and we should be honest about it; boring letters kill your chances more quickly than missed deadlines. Among the most common mistakes in letters of recommendation is the provision of an LOR that has vanished platitudinous compliments and not stories.

The Waiting Lessons – What Generic Letters Look Like:

• Wholesome, industrious (but how?), and honest (but how?).
• He was a good student (founded on what?)
• Nobody wants to know the figures, doesn’t want to hear any stories, no impression

As reported by CNN News, universities have ready-trained reviewers who can identify the template-type LORs in just a second and score Story-rich letters much higher.

How to avoid LOR mistakes and LOR submission tips:

• Ensure that you share with your recommender your significant accomplishments
• Gently ask to include 12 specific examples
• Give them a draft skeleton (unless they are opposed to it)

Gateway International has taught me how to coach my recommender without being a pest. I revised my LOR and included some real-life situations to my admissions committee, Duke University, and it blew them away!” Sneha Want a tailored recommendation letter checklist and examples that will work? Touch Gateway International and transform dull into dazzling.

Read More: How to Write a Letter Of Motivation (SOP) for German Universities?

Section 4: Failing to provide a sufficient amount of time to the recommenders

This is where confusion arises and untidiness sets in when making plans. Requesting a letter two days before the deadline is not a risky move; it is actually one of the most basic and frequent mistakes observed in letters of recommendation every year.

The Consequences of Going Too Fast:

• Recommenders are irritated
• The letters become imprecise and typo-laden
• Quality instantly decreases

According to BBC News, recommenders like to have at least four weeks to draft effective letters. Here is where intelligent students shine.

How to avoid LOR mistakes:

• The possibility to reach out 4-6 weeks prior to deadlines
• Remind about the changes politely at regular intervals
• Add deadlines in your email plainly

I asked my boss only 3 days before last year, and the letter was awful. With the help of Gateway International, this year’s planning ahead made a significant difference in my year, and the quality difference stunned me. Result? UCLA accepted me! Rahul Looking to have an alerting system and LOR submission tricks on the path? In a letter of recommendation, Message Gateway International should never commit the following letter of recommendation errors again.

Read More: Swiss Schengen Visa Rules Tighten for Indians: How to Avoid Rejections with the Updated Checklist

Section 5: Failure to Waiver of the Right to See the Letter

The first is rookie because many applicants still do it: assuming that their recommenders will “remember everything” about them. The fact is that the failure to share background documents is one of the sneakiest, typical common mistakes in letters of recommendation, which undermines your LOR in silence.

Why This Letter of Recommendation Mistake Is Bad News to You:

Without a resume, transcripts, or even a brief write-up of your goals, the recommenders find themselves describing very general, stereotyped, and repetitive letters. When beefed up with quantifiable data and accomplishments, LORs prove to be 37 per cent more effective with the admissions panel, according to PIE News. Then why wait and gamble?

Recommendation Letter Checklist: Also Awful Things to NEVER Give:

• New CV or resume
• Transcripts or certificates
• Repository of major accomplishments/projects
• Themed job or program description
• Your short-term/long-term goals

These LOR submission checklists will assist your recommender in creating a strong narrative — rather than panicking over information. I believed that my professor had it all in mind. She did not! Gateway International has assisted me in compiling a materials packet, and my revised LOR even got me an admit to King’s College London, literally! — Harshit M., Gateway International customer And what do you know? Recently, BBC News emphasised that universities are increasingly using AI to detect generic recommendation letters that are not specific examples. This implies that weakly supported LORs may, in effect, be penalised.

How to avoid LOR mistakes

Even before you approach your recommender, pack your Supportive Materials Kit, because avoiding these slip-ups in letters of recommendation is easier than correcting them after the fact. Get a free downloadable template of the LOR material kit? Contact us, Gateway International – we will send one to your inbox and keep you ahead of the curve.

Read More: How to Apply for MBBS in Russia: Step-by-Step Admission Guide for Indians

Section 6: Lack of Provisions of Supportive Materials

Failing to provide your recommender with sufficient background is analogous to sending them into the march with a spoon—a huge mistake in a letter of recommendation.

LOR submission tips:

• Your CV/ resume
• Transcript
• SOP or career objectives
• Success in the past

That eases their work and integrates your LOR with the rest of your application. These are some of the points you need to add to your recommendation letter checklist ASAP.

Section 7: Submission errors Technical

Technical common mistakes in letters of recommendation can still crash and burn even the strongest applications, and, as it turns out, it is excruciating to have foreseeable mistakes. You would be astonished at how many typical common mistakes in letters of recommendation happen simply because one hit the upload button without bothering to recheck.

Common Mistakes in Letter of Recommendation You SHOULD NOT Miss:

• Filing the incorrect document (oops, your LOR was in there, not your essay!)
• Making use of old recommender emails
• Allowing the file size to extend portal restrictions
• Hooking without looking whether it really hooked or not

NDTV News also reports that almost 22 per cent of the LORs are rejected by the portals due to incorrect formatting or failure to fill out the required fields, rather than poor content, but rather due to applicants’ failure to adhere to basic LOR submission tips.

Hope this helps: How to Avoid LOR Mistakes Your Checklist:

Consider this rapid-fire recommendation letter checklist, prior to clicking that last “submit”:

• Make sure names of files are correctly named (e.g. LOR_FirstName_LastName_University.pdf)
• Use preferred formats of the institutions (usually PDF or DOCX)
• Make a test upload
• Spell-check your spelling in the email of your recommender twice

Manchester screenshot confirmation of your submission

I lost a dream admission opportunity due to common mistakes in letters of recommendation last year that went unnoticed. A second re-application was no hitch with the assistance of Gateway International, and this time I was accepted into NYU and Warwick!” — Sarah K., an international student at Gateway And that is not all, because CNN News announced that universities are becoming increasingly integrated with anti-spam filters, so a single misplaced character in your recommender’s email could render your letter of recommendation non-existent. Well, that would be a nightmare! Contact Gateway International today to receive help with step-by-step and foolproof submission strategies. Your admission may be based upon it.

Read More: Letter Of Recommendation (LOR) for Masters

Quiz for Letters of Recommendation

None of the above can be considered a bad reason to pick a recommender.

1. Well acquainted with your work
2. Has a great title in the job
3. Is able to talk about your competencies
4. Taught you under

Answer: b When do you request a Letter of Recommendation?

1. 1 day prior to the deadline
2. 1 week prior to
3. 4-6 weeks in advance
4. On Submission

Answer: c What material is least essential for your recommender to provide?

1. Your curriculum vitae
2. Netflix list of favourites
3. The transcripts that are yours
4. Your SOP

Answer: b

Conclusion

In the case of admissions, as well as jobs, they say you never receive a second chance to make the first impression. And believe me, the tiniest lapse will ruin your dreams. This is why remaining vigilant to the pitfalls of letters of recommendation is your winning strategy. Close all loose ends and communicate promptly, as well as get consistent follow-ups. Gateway International enabled me to detect the slightest letter of recommendation errors that I was previously unaware of. They have the best people, and I also got admitted into my top three universities! Aarav It is time to get things done, so don’t get caught up in these annoying traps. Embrace preparation and see your doors open up. In need of skilled advising? Contact Gateway International to get perfection in LOR support! For further assistance or queries students can contact us, study abroad consultancy, and avail of our wide range of services for students on destinations like Study in USA, study in UK, study in canada, study in France  and many other countries.

FAQ’s

1. What are the typical common mistakes in letters of recommendation that result in rejection?

Mistakes include not writing according to submission guidelines, using generic content, and selecting out-of-scope recommenders, which are the worst offenders.

2. What is the best way of reminding my recommender so as not to sound pushy?

Reminders should be sent out politely at regular intervals. It averts some of the common mistakes in letters of recommendation, such as delays.

3. Can I submit the same letter to more than one position?

No. Tailoring helps eliminate typical pitfalls in letters of recommendation and makes them more relevant.

4. Are technical errors going to cause a dent in my application?

Absolutely. Several common mistakes in letters of recommendation are technical, including issues with malicious files and portal upload problems.

5. May I write my letter and get somebody to sign it?

Not recommended. It is among the most common and unethical common mistakes in letters of recommendation.