Realize that many students feel insecure asking for letters of recommendation or may be under a great deal of pressure with their applications and deadlines.
Find a polite way to decline if you feel you cannot write a favorable letter within the provided timeline. Realize doing this now is much more respectful than waiting or saying you will and not following through.
Ask the student these essential questions when he or she asks for this favor. Know when the letter must be submitted, to whom it should be addressed, whether you need to complete it online or with a special form, and if the student will pick it up from you or if you should mail it.
Schedule a time to meet with the student if you do not currently have the time to talk through this matter or if you cannot focus at the time. Maintain confidentiality and respect the student's privacy with this favor as well.
Jot some notes of what you have in mind for the letter and questions you have for the student. Let the student suggest areas to focus upon but do not allow the student to write the letter for you; do write the letter on your own and not feel pressured to say what you would not otherwise say.
Allow the student to describe what the college plans are, what interests he or she have in and out of school and what work will be mentioned in the application.
Budget time to commit to writing letters from scratch. Avoid the temptation to merely revise a letter you may have written for someone else. Eliminate the possibility of forgetting this letter-writing task by writing reminders in your planner, on your calendar or somewhere you will see it often.
Outline your thoughts and the items you should be putting into a college entry recommendation letter. Research such letter-writing tips online and see some samples if you feel that this is something new or foreign.
Be honest with your statements. Do not exaggerate or lie about the student's character, behavior or accolades. Ignore other people's biases or your personal opinions about the particular college. Speak to the student's capabilities, potential and how you feel the student would fit into the group environment at the college.
Make sure your thoughts flow well and are organized logically.
Double check that your address and contact information, the date you wrote the letter and the person receiving the letter's name and titles are properly formatted. Close the letter with a courteous "if you have any questions or concerns" line so the school representative knows it is acceptable to contact you in the future.
Print the letter to edit and proofread. Save the letter draft to the computer. Step away from the letter for a while, then read it aloud. Check for flow, consistency in verb and word choice and thoroughness of ideas.
Determine whether you have provided personalized examples, showing your knowledge of and experiences with this student. Edit out or reconsider banalities and generalizations. Verify that this letter does not read as a form letter, as that helps neither the college nor the student.
Revise, print, save to the computer and then sign and mail the finished letter of support. Keep the computer file in case the school needs another copy or if the student could benefit from another letter from you in the future for other applications, including those for scholarships.