When applying for college grants and awards, a strong “Letter of Support” can be the difference between getting the desired prize and not getting the desired prize. It should go without saying that most grants and awards are being pursued by college students from all over the country, if not the world. If all things are equal, recipients are often evaluated and ultimately chosen based on important factors such as Letters of Support.
How to Write a Letter of Support
Anyone who has received a request to write a Letter of Support is being viewed as a person will potential influence. This can be a relative, teacher, friend or well-respected member of the local community. The importance of writing an effective letter cannot be stressed enough. There are two very important steps to providing an effective letter, preparation and the actual writing of the letter.
Preparation
As the author begins the process of producing a Letter of Support for the beneficiary, there are certain pieces of information the author is going to need to know.
What is the Purpose? The beneficiary of the letter needs to clearly communicate what they are trying to achieve. It would be very helpful if this information were to include the types of grants and/or awards being considered. Who is the Intended Target? – It always helps to understand the potential audience for the letter. These individuals might be school administrators, the Board of Directors for established endowment organizations or a simple group of teachers who will submit recommendations based on the information they receive. What are They Administrators Specifically Looking for in the Letter? – The beneficiary and/or author needs to invest some time to find out exactly what the end users are looking for within the document. This might include personal information, statistics or assessments.
Writing the Letter
The end users of Letters of Support are typically well-educated individuals. Any letter submitted to such an individual must conform to formal letter writing standards. As far as content is concerned, here are some recommendations.
Opening Paragraph – This is the author’s opportunity to express their support for the beneficiary and the reasons why they are offering such support. It’s important to specifically identify the grant or award being targeted in order to keep the letter from looking like a generic submission being sent to multiple end users.
Body of the Letter – This is the place to detail out the attributions and personal qualities that make the beneficiary deserving of the award. The details should be specific and include prior achievements and future goals.
Closing Paragraph – The letter needs to have a strong, memorable closing. A formal “Thank You” for any due consideration would be a nice touch.
As the author of a Letter of Support, the individual is being given a great honor and responsibility. This letter is going to be used to help generate funds to pay for a college education, which is going to have an effect on the beneficiary’s future. If written properly, the chances of the award going to right place are going to be greatly enhanced. Therefore, great care should be taken.