I read scholarship applications for my alma mater. I have read letters of recommendation from teachers, college guidance counselors, coaches, Scout leaders, bosses, Mayors, Representative, Senators, and one former President (actually, a nice personal letter of recommendation…kind of made you sit up and take notice). The letters of recommendation are exceedingly helpful for me. Yes, there are form letters. You recognize them quickly. You discount them and don’t hold them against the applicant. But, a good letter of recommendation offers another window onto an applicant outside of grades and an essay. It lets me see what another person thinks is important about this person. Often, it points me to something that may or may not be highlighted in the application which I have to go back an look at. And yes, a well written letter of recommendation has certainly helped applicants in the past. I would tell anyone writing a letter of recommendation to know the person they are writing about and pass if they really don’t know the person. I don’t need application chaff. I need information. When we are talking about a life-changing scholarship, think about what you would want to know about the person you are writing about. Suffice to say, my experience on being on the other side of the application has changed my outlook on the process.