Is it true that my name can’t be included in the recommendation letter?
I’ve been applying for scholarships, and one local scholarship requires recommendation letters. However, I noticed that they state if my name appears in the letter or the file name, it won’t be accepted. All of my letters currently have my name in them. I was under the impression that it’s typical for recommendation letters to include the applicant’s name, so I’m a bit confused about why I need to obtain new letters without my name.
It can be confusing when scholarship applications have specific requirements like this. The reasoning behind not including your name in the letter of recommendation likely has to do with maintaining objectivity during the review process. They want to ensure that the reviewers assess the letters without any bias related to the applicant’s identity.
To address this, you should definitely ask your recommenders to revise the letters by removing your name. You can explain this requirement to them, and they should understand the need to comply with the scholarship’s guidelines. It might also be helpful to offer them context about the scholarship and what qualities or achievements you would like them to emphasize, to ensure they can still effectively advocate for you without including your name.
If it proves difficult to get the letters revised, consider reaching out to the scholarship committee for clarification or to see if they can provide any alternative suggestions. Good luck with your applications!