Letters
of Recommendation
Remember that letters of recommendation are due on November
15th! To give your recommenders as much time as possible to write a strong
letter for you, make sure to ask them early. When you are deciding who to ask
for a letter of recommendation, think about who is most familiar with your
academic and professional goals. If you have written a paper or done a project
on the region or country where you are applying to study, that professor may be
able to write a strong letter of recommendation because he or she will know
about your interest in that area of the world and why studying the language
will strengthen your academic or professional goals. Applicants can only submit
two letters of reference for the CLS Program.
Who to ask for a letter of recommendation?
If you are applying as a beginner, you need to submit two general letters of recommendation. The CLS Program recommends two university-level professors who are familiar with your academic strengths and professional goals. The CLS Program is an academically rigorous program that covers approximately one year's worth of language study during the eight to ten week intensive institute. Your recommenders should emphasize your ability to succeed in an academically-challenging environment.
If you are applying with previous language study (advanced
beginner, intermediate or advanced), you are required to submit one general letter
of reference and one language letter of reference for the language that you are
applying to study. The general letter should follow the advice above. Your
language letter of reference should be completed by your current or most recent
language instructor or tutor.
How to ask for a letter of recommendation?
You can help to strengthen your letters
of recommendation by meeting with your recommenders about the CLS Program and
your goals. Bring a copy of your essays, even if you haven't finalized them
yet. If your recommender understands your goals, he or she can talk about them
in the letter. If you aren't able to meet with your recommender, send him or
her an email with your essays and information on the CLS Program.
Timely Letters
It is important that your letters arrive by or on the November 15th deadline. You can monitor the submission of your letters of recommendation in your online application account under the CLS Reference Letter section. You can also send a reminder to your recommenders through your online application account. It is your responsibility to ensure that your application file is complete by the November 15th deadline, including that your letters of recommendation are submitted on time.
Timely Letters
It is important that your letters arrive by or on the November 15th deadline. You can monitor the submission of your letters of recommendation in your online application account under the CLS Reference Letter section. You can also send a reminder to your recommenders through your online application account. It is your responsibility to ensure that your application file is complete by the November 15th deadline, including that your letters of recommendation are submitted on time.
Although it is recommended to obtain two university-level professors for the letters of recommendation, is it looked down upon if I ask one of my high school professors for a recommendation? I am currently a freshman and thought that one of my previous teachers who had known me for four years would write a stronger recommendation than from someone who has known me for two-three months.
ReplyDeleteListed below are several key application pitfalls to avoid on the CLS Program application:
ReplyDeleteSpelling and grammatical errors/not following directions.
Applying for a language without meeting the prerequisite.
Weak letters of recommendation/letters of recommendation from high school instructors.
Not articulating a direct correlation between the target language, current academic program, and future plans.
Vague carer goals or lack of a clear path to career or language proficiency goals.
Personal connection to the language rather than academic/professional.
We understand that it can be difficult for freshman applicants to find two university-level instructors to write letters of recommendation. We do recommend trying to have two university-level letters, but if you have one letter from a high school instructor because you have just started your fall semester of college that is fine.
ReplyDeleteIs it ok to have a Graduate teaching assistant writing a letter of recommendation? I am also a freshman in college.
ReplyDeleteHi Mimi! It is fine to have anyone who has taught you at the university level write a letter on your behalf.
ReplyDeleteI am applying for a beginner Turkish language Critical Language Scholarship since I've never taken Turkish before. However, I have taken three semesters of Italian and my current Italian professor is familiar with my aptitude for language learning. Would his letter of recommendation be preferred over a professor from my major (art history) since my Italian professor is familiar with my language learning skills? I am a teaching assistant for my art history professor and he is more familiar with my academic and career goals than my Italian professor is. Which professor should I ask to write my letter of recommendation? I already have my first letter of recommendation from a different art history professor.
ReplyDeleteI am an advanced (+4 years) learner of Chinese and am interested in applying to the CLS. Currently I am taking a Classical Chinese course and not a modern Chinese course. I hope to be able to study modern Chinese over the summer 2012.
ReplyDeleteShould I get a letter of recommendation from my current (Classical Chinese) teacher? Or should I get one from the teacher I had last year, who is familiar with my level of modern Chinese?
Hi Aaron! Thank you for your interest in the CLS Program. It is ultimately up to you who you would like to select as a letter of reference, but if you feel that your art history professor knows your overall academic ability and future goals more than your Italian professor, it sounds like that would be a strong reference. It would be especially nice if your art history professor can stress the importance of learning Turkish to your future goals.
ReplyDeleteHi Adrien! If your most recent modern Chinese professor would be willing to complete the language reference form, that would be great. Feel free to contact us if you have any further questions about this at www.clscholarship.org/contact.htm
ReplyDeleteOne of my letter writer is busy on conferences and I fear he might not be able to submit the letter on time. Is there any leeway at all on the November 15th deadline for recommendation letters?
ReplyDeleteHi Kevin! First of all, we recommend that you submit your online application and not wait for your letter of reference to be submitted. The review process begins after the November 15th deadline, so it would be in your best interest to have both of your letters of reference submitted on time. If your reference can't submit the letter on time and you can't find someone else to submit a letter on your behalf, we will add any letters that are submitted after the deadline to your application as soon as they arrive. However, we cannot guarantee that letters submitted after the deadline will be included in the first round review of your application. To read about the selection process for the CLS Program, please see http://www.clscholarship.org/applicants.htm
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI asked my supervisor at work to write my letter of rec. because she can speak about my passion to learn the Japanese language, and the interest and hard work that I've shown in my job, which is connected to my future plans for learning this language...but I have another professor who taught Classical Japanese, and can talk more about my academics and grammar ability (separate from my langauge reference)... so which would be a better letter of reference that the CLS program would like to hear from?
Hello Yoyo - It is ultimately up to you who you would like to select as a reference. We would encourage you to select the person knows your academic ability, future goals, and knows you well. Since you are applying for the Japanese program, perhaps your Classical Japanese professor could write your language reference and your supervisor could write your general reference. Please remember that the application deadline is November 15 and all letters of recommendation must be in by the deadline!
ReplyDeleteMy general reference talks about my passion in the work field, and she has known me longer, but all the questions that CLS asks in reference letter is academic... so she can't answer because she knows me thru work... are these questions suggested, or a must to answer?? She told me about these questions... and how she can't answer them...so I feel bad because I shouldn't have recommended her?
ReplyDeleteI have to choose between them for my general reference because I already have a language reference... sorry, to ask, but thanks for your feedback.
ReplyDeleteGoing forward, I think it would really offer clarity to add a time to the deadline date. I've had both of my references ask if 11/15 meant 11:59 on 11/14 or 11:59 on 11/15
ReplyDeleteHugh, it says in the application that the deadline is 2:59AM on 11/16. So you still have time.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's Eastern standard time, correct?
ReplyDeletecorrect! 24 hours to go..
ReplyDeleteHello “yoyo” – The selection committee will be looking at the letters of recommendation closely, so it is helpful for references to answer as many questions as they can. That being said, if a reference isn’t able to answer a question, s/he shouldn’t feel pressured to comment on something that they don’t know about you. From your messages, is sounds like your other reference (language reference) may be able to provide information regarding your academic background and performance in the classroom. If your general reference is able to highlight professional interests (related to the target language/region) and other personal attributes, that will be helpful. If you would like to discuss further, please feel free to call the CLS Team: 202-633-5005.
ReplyDeleteThank you, "Adrien S"! The online application will no longer allow applicants to submit an application at 12:00am PST on November 16, 2011, and we regret we cannot accept applications submitted after the deadline.
ReplyDeleteMy professor is having trouble logging into the system? When she tries, it asks her to change her password and then loads a page saying "done." Is there anything I can do about this situation? Is it possible that she can't log into to write the letter because I already submitted the application?
ReplyDeleteHello "SCoco" - please have your professor email her recommendation letter to: cls@caorc.org and include your full name in the subject line (e.g. General Reference for XXXXX). Please ask her to include her contact information in the body of the email. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi, I have resent many reminders to one of my recommendation providers but she insists on not receiving any of them (inbox and spam folder). If she doesn't turn it in on time, does that mean I'll automatically be disqualified because I only have one recommendation letter?
ReplyDeleteHello "pillowtext" - The letters of recommendation are due today (November 15). Please see my message to "Scoco" directly above (i.e. ask your reference to send her letter to cls@caorc.org...).
ReplyDeleteSo if she doesn't submit it in on time, does that mean I'll automatically be disqualified because I only have one recommendation letter?
ReplyDeleteHi "pillowtext" - no, you will not be disqualified! If your reference had trouble submitting her letter, please ask her to send the letter as an email attachment to: cls@caorc.org and include your full name in the subject header, as well as her contact information in the body of the email. If you have additional questions, please call the CLS Program: 202-633-5005.
ReplyDeleteHi I'm not sure if anyone is still answering questions on here, but figure I'll just go for it. Currently, I'm a freshman and an undeclared major and I'm going to apply for CLS Chinese for Summer 2013 during my sophomore year. Because I've been looking around at different majors I've been taking more intro (100 level) classes, which tend to be huge lectures so I haven't been able to really make a connection with any of my professors (especially since the subjects have not been of interest to me in my search for a major, and I haven't had a reason to go to office hours). I have been taking intensive Chinese since my first semester, and I have a better connection with my Chinese professor and TA, and they know more about my goals so I'm fine with asking them for recommendations, but could my general recommendation come from one of them or at least an undergraduate advisor? They will be helping me apply to my college's business school, so I feel as if they will be more able to talk about my professional goals. (Sorry that this is so long)
ReplyDeleteHi Ayjay - Thanks for your question! It's ok to ask your Chinese professor or TA for a general letter of recommendation. We prefer academic references and expect that at least one of your letters will come from an academic, but if you feel that your undergraduate advisor would write a strong letter of recommendation, you could ask him/her to write your general letter of recommendation. However, your application will be more competitive if you have two university-level professors who are familiar with your academic strengths and professional goals write your letters of recommendation.
ReplyDeleteIf you have additional questions, please feel free to give us a call: 202-633-5005!
Hi, I'm a student that will be transferring as a rising sophomore to a different college this fall. You asked that applicants receive their language recommendation from their most recent instructor. Since my language professor next fall may not be as acquainted with my aptitude by the time she has to write my recommendation in late October, would it be okay for my language instructor from my past college to write my recommendation?
ReplyDeleteHi Agree,
ReplyDeleteGreat question! Even though your current language instructor may have only known you for a month or so, it is still preferable to have your current language instructor assess complete the language reference, as she will be most familiar with your current language abilities. If you were close to your former language instructor, s/he could still write your general recommendation letter.