How to Get Strong Recommendation Letters That Actually Move the Needle: Who to ask, what to include, and formatting best practices
How to Get Strong Recommendation Letters That Actually Move the Needle: Who to Ask, What to Include, and Formatting Best Practices
A lot of applicants treat recommendation letters as a formality.
But in competitive applications, they can significantly influence outcomes.
Strong letters are not about praise. They are about credibility, specificity, and positioning.
Join Michael Hendricks for a session on how to approach recommendation letters strategically.
In this session, we’ll cover:
- Why recommendation letters matter beyond GPA and test scores
- How to choose the right recommenders based on impact, not title
- What makes a letter stand out to admissions committees
- How to guide your recommender without overstepping
- Structure and formatting best practices
- Common mistakes that weaken otherwise strong profiles
- How to align LORs with your overall application narrative
If you’re applying to competitive programs and want your recommendation letters to strengthen your application, this session will give you a clear direction.
April 18, 2026 | 11 AM PST
Via Zoom.
Speaker: Michael Hendricks
Hosted by: Visa Architect