I’ll be writing a series of articles on the experiences and challenges that International students face in order to get into an American university. Most things that American students take for granted such as the ease of getting letters of recommendation, ordering transcripts, and scheduling appointments for the SAT or GRE, can be downright painful for students in India or other countries.

Today’s post is on the challenges Indian students may face while trying to get their letters of recommendation for a U.S. university.

Here are some of them:

1. Conveying the importance of recommendation letters - Few Indian universities ask for letters of recommendation when you apply for admission, so your professors may not be aware of or understand the urgency of getting these letters to you.

Solution - Start early. If you know you will need someone’s recommendation in two months, ask for it NOW. In your email, stress on how important a good recommendation is to get into a university abroad.  If they do not reply in a week or so, try again. They may have missed your email.  Continue reading →