Would you purchase anything on Amazon before reading the reviews? We rely heavily on other people’s opinions to form our opinions or to back up our existing thoughts. In the same way, colleges want to know what other people think about you, so a letter of recommendation (LOR) boosts your personal and academic validity. Your letter of recommendation (also known as a “reference letter”), is a personal review that helps persuade colleges that you’re the right fit for them. But where do you start in requesting a letter of recommendation? Let’s break it down.