Letters of Recommendation: Make sure they recommend you!

(It's true. In my years of admission counseling, I've actually come across letters of recommendation that did not recommend the student for admission.)

All joking aside, a great letter of recommendation gives the admission committee an idea of your character beyond the basic information you provide in your application.

Here are some tips for letters of recommendation that I've found myself passing on to college applicants:

• Choose wisely! Ask for letter(s) from teachers, counselors and/or employers who have had positive experiences in working with you


• Letters from famous people should only be used if that person has worked directly with you. We're more impressed by a sincere, well-written letter from a teacher who has known you and worked with you than a letter from a famous person or public figure who is only an acquaintance.


• Talk to the teacher, counselor and/or employer that you're asking to write a letter on your behalf, and provide them with a resume or list of activities. They'll feel more comfortable talking both about their direct experiences with you and supplement the letter with other information about your accomplishments.


• Give the person plenty of time to think about the letter, write it and send it to the college you're applying to


• Provide a stamped and addressed envelope for the letter(s), or instructions on what you'd like the person to do with the completed letter


• Tell the person your application deadline, or else, a date by which you'd like the letter to be completed.


• Quality over quantity -- don't overdo it! Two or three letters are sufficient to have for your applications, unless a college has otherwise requested. You'd rather have 2-3 quality letters submitted by people who know you well than submit 10 letters written by people who "sort of" know you.

Above all, be sure to thank the person for taking the time to help you with your college application process.

...And hey, when you get into the college of your choice, you should make it a point to tell the people who wrote you letters of recommendation -- because they played an important part of you getting admitted!

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They Hugged the Lake!

[First of all, I'm sorry for not posting more often this month. We've had a busy month as the Class of 2012 has made their decisions about where they'd like to be this fall -- and we're thrilled to finally have our class in place!]

On Earth Day, April 22, 2008 -- I got to witness a few hundred UM students show their love to our Lake Osceola and participate in our "Hug the Lake" event. This event was started by our students two years ago, by a student organization called Random Acts of Kindness (RAK). RAK works to do just that -- promote random acts of kindness around campus, and to organize this giant hugging of the lake.

One of my staff members got brave enough to go to the top of one of our dorm towers to take photos, and she's shared them with me. I thought it was also a great way for you to see a truly panoramic view of our campus!

(You can see the chain forming along the lake.)

(This student leader was riding around the lake encouraging more students to join the hug. She got on the campus PA system to get all of the huggers to sing our Alma Mater -- and then the fountain in the middle of the lake came on to celebrate the hug!)

And the huggers got pizza, compliments of RAK and the event sponsors.

These are the kinds of events that I really look forward to around campus -- and I can only hope that our future classes ensure that such simple acts of kindness towards each other and the campus will continue.

Congratulations to RAK for a successful hug!

Question: What kind of school events have you done in high school that you think you'd like to add to our traditions?