As part of your PTK Scholarship Application, you’ll be asked to upload ONE letter of recommendation. This letter helps our panel of judges understand more about your leadership, academic achievements, and community involvement — from the perspective of someone who knows you well.
📝 How to Submit Your Letter of Recommendation
- You (the student) must request and upload a PDF copy of your signed letter directly to your application.
- If your recommender prefers not to give the letter directly to you, they may email it to scholarships@ptk.org.
- Important: Letters submitted through the PTK website’s recommender request tool are not accepted.
We understand this process may reduce anonymity, but it supports transparency and open communication between students and their recommenders.
📬 How Should the Letter Be Formatted?
The letter should:
- Be addressed to: PTK Scholarship Judging Committee
- Be written on official letterhead
- Include the recommender’s signature
Recommenders should also include:
- Full name
- Professional title and organization
- Academic discipline (optional)
- Email address
- Phone number
It’s helpful for the recommender to state their relationship to you (the student) to give judges context for their perspective.
💡 What Should the Letter Say?
The letter should highlight your leadership qualities and provide specific examples of your involvement, service, and impact beyond the classroom.
Recommended writers: college faculty, administrators, deans, or a supervisor at a place where you’ve worked or volunteered.
Judges are looking for responses (in the recommender’s own words) to the following questions:
- How does the student demonstrate leadership?
- How do they respond to challenges or setbacks?
- Do they actively seek ways to grow as a leader?
- Do they inspire or motivate others?
- Are there any concerns about the student’s character? (If so, should we follow up if they are a finalist?)
Including a specific example of servant leadership and its impact will make the recommendation even stronger.
📌 Special Guidance Based on Your Scholarship Type
🎓 Associate Degree-Seeking Students
(Programs with May 15 Deadline)
The letter should speak to your leadership potential and accomplishments beyond what’s in your application. Students are encouraged to share a rough draft of their application with their recommender to help them write a more complete and personalized letter.
🔁 Transfer Students
(Programs with December 1 Deadline)
You’ve been asked to write an essay about your most significant endeavor since attending college. The recommender should:
- Confirm this endeavor happened
- Provide insights into your originality, initiative, and the impact of your actions
- Mention anything you may have missed or under-explained in your essay
Important: The recommendation should directly support the leadership example from your essay. Not addressing it may hurt your application’s competitiveness. Be sure to give your recommender a copy of your essay.
🛠️ Career-Tech (CTE) Students
(Entering Workforce After Graduation)
Your letter should focus on the skills you’ve developed in class or training and your potential to succeed in your chosen career. Students should provide their recommender with a copy of their completed “Workforce” tab from the application.
📣 Final Tips
- Start early — give your recommender at least 2–3 weeks’ notice.
- Provide them with your scholarship resume (if you have one), draft application, and anything else that helps them understand your goals and experiences.
- Follow up politely to ensure the letter is completed on time.
Still have questions? Contact us at scholarships@ptk.org. We’re happy to help!