Retail giant in the world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Retail giant in the world - Essay Example The company has received a host of prestigeous accolades including being named as the â€Å"Retailer of the Century† by Discount Store News and being awarded the Ron Brown Award for outstanding entrepreneurial leadership. â€Å"In 2002, Wal-Mart became No. 1 on the FORTUNE 500 list and in 2003 and 2004, Wal-Mart was named "Most Admired Company in America" by FORTUNE magazine† (â€Å"At A Glance† 4). The Wal-Mart’s history dates back to 1945, when Sam Walton opened the 1st retail outlet in Newport, Akansas with a capital of US$ 20,000. This initial outlet operates a franchise outlet of Butler Brothers chain. Subsequently three more outlets were opened under franchise agreements and profit sharing practices were introduced with his managers, which largely contributed to the rapid growth of the business. Encouraged by the success of his retail business, Sam Walton opened the first true Wal-Mart in 1962 in Rogers Akansas. Expanding the number of outlets based on the success of the initial outlet, Sam Walton replicated the winning formula to grow the Wal-Mart Chain. The company was incorperated as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.in 1969. It was first listed on the New York Stock Exchange in year 1972. In year 1990 the company becomes the largest retailer in USA. Its foreign operations start in 1991 with a store in Mexico city. Since then the company has grown locally and intenationally with a host of strategic acquisitions such as the Woolco- canda, ASDA-UK and Amigo- Pueterico.

The Border Fence Essay Example for Free

The Border Fence Essay In the essay â€Å"The Fence of Lies† the author Mario Vargas Llosa’s thesis is that the border fence between Mexico and the United States is a bad idea and a waste of taxpayer’s money. Some of the main points he uses to strengthen his argument are that it is purely a political ploy to get officials re-elected, that the fence is far too costly and the construction will never happen, and the money should be spent elsewhere. In addition, we should allow immigrants an open door policy into our country because of the immense contribution they make to our economy and that they are willing to do the jobs that most Americans will not. Vargas Llosa’s most compelling argument is that the fence will do nothing at all to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into this country and the environmental impact it will have. Although, the Author brings up some valid points, I think that there are some definite weaknesses in his claim as well as issues that he did not even mention. Even though I am in favor of the fence, I feel that he could have done a better job convincing readers of his point had he focused on why the fence will not work and the environmental impact it will have, instead of confusing the matter with whether or not immigration is moral. Vargas Llosa begins his essay with the statement that the proposal of this fence is purely a â€Å"theatrical show† because on 7 November, there will be elections to renew the House of Representatives and part of Congress and that even if the bill passes they will never build it (2). As to the question of if will be put up, we know now that the fence is almost completely erected. Immigration was a hot political topic at the time and still is; I am sure that the politicians considered this, as it was a valid idea to control the border. In every poll, that I can find, the majority of Americans are for tougher border patrol, even people who are for giving these immigrants a path to citizenship. One of the main points the author makes is that these are hardworking people  who are just trying to create better opportunities for themselves and their families by coming to this Land of Opportunity, taking jobs that Americans are unwilling to do, and that we should not impede them of that chance. He uses an example of this woman Emerita, who emigrated from Guatemala and started up a housecleaning business, through hard work and persistence, is making $96,000 dollars a year. He does not say if she is legal now, but uses this as a generalization of the type of people we are denying into our country by not having an open border. I do not believe that this woman portrays the average migrant worker in our country. Most work for less than minimum wage, have no benefits, and do not pay taxes, which; are the main reasons Americans are unwilling to work those jobs, not because they are afraid of hard work as Vargas Llosa implies. In addition, he does not mention the gunrunners, drug smugglers and possible terrorists who would all have free access in or out of our country as well. Immigration into our country is a privilege for these people not a right, so why should we, as Americans, not have the right to be selective about who we let in? As an alternative to this point, Vargas Llosa states that if we wish to stop this flow of people into our country then we should use that â€Å"6 billion† (1) dollars to create jobs and try to stimulate opportunities south of the border. This statement is a bit of a stretch considering that the U.S. went into a recession shortly after the writing of this essay and our unemployment surged to over 10%. First, I know $6 bn is a lot of money, but how many jobs can it possibly create when you are talking about 21 countries in Latin America? Where do we even begin to help and is it really our problem? Why should the taxpayers of the America be responsible for an undertaking of that size and is it even possible? I think these are reasonable questions to ask oneself and if looked at logically will find this a ridiculous proposal that has no validity. Another argument Vargas Llosa made, that â€Å"if, by some miracle, it is built, it will serve for absolutely nothing† (1). He also says in the conclusion of his essay that the â€Å"cement monstrosity would soon be as full of holes as Swiss cheese† (11) saying that the fence would not even obstruct migrants determined to get across. He makes a point of saying that the fence would only cover a portion of the border, leaving 1200 miles of open frontier through which people  could easily pass over. Well, that is true, however, in those areas where there is not any fence, there are natural obstacles such as large, desolate stretches of desert or mountains with no cities close by to take refuge. All of the major ports of entry are included in the fenced area, which provides at least a moderate obstacle when it comes to illegal crossing. As for the damaging alterations that will happen over time, such as, holes cut into it, sensors could be added in the ground and or in the fence, plus routine patrols done for visual inspection. To say that the fence would do â€Å"absolutely nothing† is much t oo definitive in my opinion. He would have had better effect on me had he developed more along the lines of, the benefits of the fence are minimal since it does not even cover the whole border and then used some specific, compelling details to back that up. Lastly, the most valid point the author makes is one in which he developed the least. The environmental impacts this fence would have on the native communities grazing and farm land, certain species migration and feeding patterns, and on the conservation land it cuts through. The amount of time spent to study the impacts on the wetlands of the Rio Grande valley and the several endangered species that inhabit the affected area was much too short to make any scientific judgments. Not to mention the effects the actual construction process will have on these species and areas. There are several Wildlife Refuges and Audubon Sanctuaries where the fence is slated to cross. I think that if Vargas Llosa would have spent more time developing these ideas with good solid facts, it would have appealed my emotional senses much more than the story of Emerita whom seemingly had nothing to do with whether or not we should build fence. The environmental costs of this project seem heavy, are ones not easily reversed. Politics may have played a factor here, as the reason for the inadequate amount of research involved determining the environmental effects the fence will have. In conclusion, I have covered most of the major points that Vargas Llosa presented in his essay, pointed out the weaknesses in his argument and ways in which he could have strengthened it. Most of the points he focused on had to do with immigration instead of issues related directly with the fence. Had he focused more on the actual impacts of the fence it would have been a much more compelling case. I do not think that immigration is bad, as long as there is control over it. If the border fence can help our officials  to gain at least some control over who and what is actually coming into and out of our country than it should prove to be a valuable tool to create better immigration policies and eliminate the unwanted elements associated with it. (6) The Environmental Impacts of the Border Wall Between Texas and Mexico Lindsay Eriksson1 and Melinda Taylor2

Battle of Jutland Essays -- essays research papers fc

The Battle of Jutland   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Considered by most to be the greatest naval fleet battle during World War I, the Battle of Jutland was the largest and last full-blown conflict between massive fleets consisting of battle cruisers, dreadnoughts, and destroyers. Despite the fact that Jutland changed nothing strategically within the war, it is still known as being one of the most significant battles in naval history. But this battle was also one that ended with many questions and controversies that have been written about and discussed throughout the years following, even to present day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jutland commenced on May 31, 1916, after the commander of the German High Seas Fleet, Reinhard Scheer, made plans to maneuver towards the British coast, unaware that the British were able to read their coded messages and were fully prepared for Scheer’s plan. Admiral Sir John Jellicoe was in full command of the British Grand Fleet, which had been divided into three groups: the main body led by Jellicoe, six battle cruisers led by Admiral David Beatty, and four dreadnoughts under Admiral Hugh Evan-Thomas. The Grand Fleet departed two and a half hours before the Germans set off in order to rendezvous about 50 miles from Jutland in the North Sea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the first German encounter, Beatty and his battle cruisers chased a small, weak group of the German Fleet, which was led by Admiral Franz von Hipper, south towards the main High Seas Fleet. After being fired upon, Beatty made an 1800 turn northward in order to now lure the Germans toward Jellicoe and the main body. Next occurred what Louis D. Rubin Jr., who wrote the article â€Å"The Continuing Argument over Jutland† in 2001, described as one of â€Å"the most controversial episodes of a battle studded with controversial episodes.† Evan-Thomas and his dreadnoughts, which had been headed south following Beatty, failed to turn all at once and follow the battle cruisers northward. Although he apparently had not received the signal to do so until three minutes after they had passed, Rubin explains that Evan-Thomas should have, on his own intuition and initiative, proceeded to fall behind Beatty’s battle cruisers. Further stipulation was made as to whether or not this turn should have been made simultaneously or one ship after another. But to counter Rubin’s opinion... ...urces to prove his theory that blaming the battle cruisers’ designers was too simplistic of an explanation. In conclusion, this was a fascinating battle that may have left many unanswered questions and theories, but it will forever be known as the greatest naval battle in World War history. Works Cited Primary Source: Horne, Charles F. â€Å"Memoirs & Diaries: The Battle of Jutland by an anonymous British sub-Lieutenant.† Source Records of the Great War, Vol. 4, 1923. Secondary Sources: Bennett, Geoff. The Battle of Jutland. Wordsworth Military Library, 1999. Gordon, Andrew. The Rules of the Game. John Murray Pub., 1996. Hough, Richard. The Great War at Sea. Oxford University Press, 1984. Lambert, Nicholas. â€Å"‘Our Bloody Ships’ or ‘Our Bloody System’? Jutland and the Loss of the Battle Cruisers, 1916.† The Journal of Military History. Lexington: Jan. 1998. Vol. 62, Iss.1; p.29. Ranft, B. McL., ed. â€Å"31 May 1916: Beatty’s Official Report on the Battle of Jutland.† The Beatty Papers, Vol. 1, p. 323. Navy Records Society, 1989. Rubin, Louis D. Jr. â€Å"The Continuing Argument over Jutland.† The Virginia Quarterly Review. Charlottesville: Autumn 2001. Vol. 77, Iss. 4; p.583.

Diversity Essay -- essays research papers

Encounters between people of different cultural backgrounds have existed forever.People have always thought bout things that were unusual in other cultures. But, those encounters were relatively slim in early days today, they are almost part of everyday life, At the same time, the interchange between cultures has jeopardized their very existence, and the emergence of a diverse culture, a fixation often referred to as globalization.. Primarily, what makes cultures different from each other is it looks at the process of what an individual goes through in an intercultural races, and how it adapts to culture changes in its environment.The individual learns its culture from its environment more then from its family, or from its social relationships. People found, that over time the world market, would change character to adapt to production and consumption and in its material also in its intellectual process. The intellectual creation of individual nations become common property. From the numerous national and local books, there comes a world literature between all cultures.If the environment changes, our internal learning structure gets disturbed, and we have to adapt after a certain pressure occurs this can well be a small adaption to ajust our behavior so that is new. Cultures do come together and new identities do arise. There are real communities that are formed and dissolved. People do go through many cultures, and identities. But the underlying culture still determine...

Lg Institutional Sales

In a bid to expand the market and boost sales, LG Electronics Ltd. identified institutional sales as a focus area in the calendar year 1999. It plans to triple the target turnover to Rs. 150 crores from institutional sales. LG has made its institutional sales strategy by identifying and proactively targeting five different segments to push the LG range: brand promotions; the welfare segment (factory workers and office staff); government sector; direct users (hospitals, hotels); and the canteen stores departments (CSD) of the armed forces. A distinct strategy has been tailored for each of the five segments.In brand promotions for example, the perceived value of the products given as gifts is important, whereas for the welfare segment aspirational value, convenience and easy financing are prime factors. Meanwhile, hotels represent a price sensitive segment requiring specially customized products. Welfare: In this segment, LG is targeting a consumer base – the aspirational consum er, mostly factory staff – that most companies ignore, but which has considerable clout in terms of generating volumes. This segment is being targeted on the convenience and easy finance platform. LG has just tied up with Birla Global Finance Ltd. part of the Aditya Birla Group, for the purpose. Under the tie-up, LG will unit-wise cover all the Birla companies. This amounts to over two lakh employees. This is a lucrative segment, claims LG, because of the high hit-rate; out of a potential base of 1,000 factory workers, there is an assured sale of at least 10 to 20 percent. Hotel Segment: In this segment, LG is targeting the five-star and middle-level hotels (50 – 110 rooms) by offering customized products. For example, LG offers a special ‘hotel-mode TV' model with an auto volume leveler, which ensures that other guests are not disturbed.Another attraction for hotels is the cricket game TV model that would also prove to be popular and an interactive option with I nternet, video/audio or room service menu facilities. LG claims to have sent out mailers to 1,200 hotels – and bagged at least 100 orders, besides the ‘Palace on Wheels' luxury train, for providing TV sets in its 52 cabins. Now, LG is reading a range of interactive televisions for this segment, offering remote-controlled features like: the hotel menu, local facilities, billing-room service, video on demand, internet, multilingual options.Canteens and the Government Sector: â€Å"We are perhaps the only company offering our entire range of products in CSD canteens,† feels the product manager, of LG. In the government sector, which operates through tenders, significant orders so far included an order for 200 TVs for Himachal Tourism bungalows in the State and over 2,000 TVs for primary schools in rural areas in Maharashtra. The company has a five-member Institutional Sales Division, with each devoted exclusively to one segment.It has 50 institutional sales dealers and a ring of sales representatives when interact with the dealers and conduct demonstrations when needed. Its infrastructure consists of 20 mobile vans with glass windows to display the product range. These vans cover at least 500 km every month in both rural and urban markets. Questions: (a) Do you think such a field sales force is adequate to harness the market potential in the Institutional market? (b) Would you recommend focusing on one or two segments out of the given five? Justify your answer.

Drug Testing In Public Schools essays

Drug Testing In Public Schools essays John is a well known person around school. All of his life he has had a love for football. Every year he would join the school football team and help the team through a number of victories. Somewhere along the road, John started to hang out with some bad people. These people brought John into their world of drinking, drugs, and other terrible things. John still plays his extra-curricular activities while getting high off such drugs as marijuana and ecstasy. John then is asked to have a drug test in order to stay on the team. He failed it. John was kicked off the team. He was expelled from school. He lost everything he once had. Such incidents like that have been happening all the time. Isnt it a right of ours to have privacy? Wasnt there an amendment to make sure no anonymous searches and seizures take place? When it comes down to such questions, both sides have a different view. Students feel that their privacy is being violated. So far the Supreme Court has not issued that it is unconstitutional or not if a random drug testing for any student occurs. Still, random people throughout extra-curricular activities are allowed to be drug tested. Several students have spoke out saying that they feel that this is taking away their rights as a citizen. Doing drugs is wrong, but doesnt a person have the right to hide the fact that he/she does them? Due to allegations like this, some students have been getting suspended and/or expelled from school after failing the test. When it comes down to the government, they believe that actions like this should not happen. The drug testing was meant to help those that have failed the test. The government urges schools not to suspend or expel the student, but help the student through counseling. The government believes that kicking students out of school for such acts will only make matters worse by. Drug-abused teenagers would then be walkin...

3 Examples of Bad Letters of Recommendation from Teachers

3 Examples of Bad Letters of Recommendation from Teachers SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips While you may have seen examples of really impressive recommendation letters, what about the really bad ones? What exactly do bad letters look like, and what makes them so subpar? Bad recommendation letters can be hard to put a finger on, because they aren't necessarily critical or disparaging about a student. Instead, they might leave a poor impression because they come off as unenthusiastic, unspecific, or simply too short. The examples below represent letters that would do very little to help a student's college application and, worst case scenario, could even hurt it. By knowing what weakens a letter or leaves a negative impression in the minds of admissions officers, you can make sure your letters don't contain any of these features.First up... The Unenthusiastic Recommendation Dear Admissions Committee, I'm writing to recommend Jamie to your undergraduate program. As a student in my th grade English class, he performed well above average. Jamie is a hard worker and is well liked by his peers and teachers. I've been impressed with him as a student. Jamie has a strength for discussing books, and he participated well in my class. In his group projects, Jamie listened to his peers and was respectful of their input. Along with his three classmates, he earned an A on a group presentation about the various types of conflict inHamlet. Jamie is a conscientious student and rarely missed an assignment. With his strong effort and respectful attitude, Jamie leads by example. Jamie took a variety of courses in high school and was especially interested in psychology and history. He balanced his time well, participating in both the Interact Club, and, in his sophomore and junior year, the track team. No one ever has a bad word to say about Jamie. He's an all around good kid. I'm confident that Jamie will be an asset to whatever college he attends next year. He's a good student, kind friend, and was a pleasure to have in class. He has my recommendation. Please feel free to contact me for any further information at unimpressedteacher@gmail.com. Sincerely, Luke WarmEnglish TeacherHumdrum High This letter has positive things to say about Jamie, so what exactly makes it so bad? The Break Down This letter isfine, but it barely goes above the minimum to recommend Jamie. While Mr. Warm says that Jamie is respectful, conscientious, and a hard worker, he sounds completely unenthusiastic about him. He neither reveals deeper insight into Jamie's character, nor uses excited language to highlight his points. Jamie's English teacher doesn't even qualify that he "highly" recommends him. His mediocre ranking of Jamie as "well above average" further suggests his lack of enthusiasm. Besides the generic language that leaves little impact in the mind of the reader, this letter also contains some questionable phrases. By saying that Jamie "leads by example," his English teacher may be indicating a lack of concrete leadership positions at the school, whether on purpose or not. Furthermore, by focusing on how others perceive Jamie, the teacher removes a lot of his own personal perspective from the letter. Admissions committees want letters from teachers who know a student well and can speak to his good qualities. A letter that seems distant and impersonal is less effective. Even the example the teacher uses, of Jamie getting an A, is less personal because it refers to a group project. It neither highlights Jamie's individual skills, nor provides a very interesting story. This letter provides little insight into Jamie's character or personal qualities. While the teacher says generally positive things, he doesn't sound too impressed with Jamie or like he took the time to write a strong letter. He doesn't have much specific to say about Jamie, so the recommendation letter does little to differentiate him from other applicants. Overall, this letter won't do much to help Jamie's application. Another example of a bad recommendation letter is one that just presents facts and figures. For all intents and purposes, this kind of letter could be written by just about anyone with a copy of the student's resume. This letter's almost all facts and figures. The Resume Repeat Dear Admissions Committee, It is my pleasure to recommend Tabitha, who excelled in my junior year AP Biology class. A hard worker with an interest in the natural world, Tabitha earned an A for the course and received a 5 on her AP Biology exam. Most impressive to me is that she did all this while balancing her responsibilities as Class Treasurer, hospital volunteer, and literacy coach. Tabitha goes above and beyond with her activities and somehow succeeds in all of them. As Class Treasurer, Tabitha organized fundraisers and raised over $2,000 for the junior year prom. She advertised events through the school and worked with students and faculty to organize attendance. Beyond this, she volunteers two days a week at the local hospital, where she spends time with patients and helps visitors navigate their way around. Tabitha doesn't just use her skills with people at the hospital; she also has worked with children for the past two years, helping them build their literacy skills. All this while juggling a full class schedule that included three AP classes. Tabitha excels in and out of the classroom. She won the Tisch Library Award in sophomore year for academic achievement, and her impressive performance in my class earned her the 2014 Biology award. She was one of the top scorers in her class on the PSAT, and she earned a 4 and two 5's on her AP exams so far. Tabitha is a top student whose grades, awards, and involvements speak for themselves. I highly recommend Tabitha for admission to your undergraduate program. She is an active student who will continue to contribute greats things to her college. Her achievement in school is all the more impressive considering her busy schedule and extracurricular and professional involvements. Please feel free to contact me with any questions at resumereader@gmail.com. Sincerely, Reita RationScience TeacherBelabor Boarding School At least Tabitha's letter sounds a little more enthusiastic than Jamie's. But it's still not especially strong. Let's look at exactly what makes it ineffective. The Break Down It sounds like Ms. Ration is impressed with Tabitha's accomplishments. Tabitha seems to be a highly achieving student with impressive grades and extracurricular involvements. However, admissions committees already know about all her grades, awards, and involvements from the rest of her application. This letter repeats a lot of information that the admissions committee already has on file. Plus, by trying to include everything that Tabitha does, it actually says very little. It's all breadth and no depth.A strong letter woulddive deeply into specific skills or qualities, rather than skimming over a lot of different points with a general overview. A recommendation letter should personalize a student and give deeper insight into her intellectual capacity and character. It should be from a teacher who can highlight something specific about a student. Her science teacher may know little about Tabitha's work as a literacy coach. She could speak much more insightfully about Tabitha's skill for scientific inquiry and interest in medicine. This letter also uses no anecdotes or examples to illustrate something meaningful about Tabitha, relying instead on facts and figures. Perhaps the most telling example of where the letter writer went astray is when she says that Tabitha's accomplishments"speak for themselves." In fact, recommendation letters are required because grades and statistics don't fully speak for themselves. Recommenders are supposed to speak about a student in a revealing, meaningful way. They should help distinguish the student from other applicants and talk about her passions and motivations (in other words,why she does what she does). Instead, this letter focuses on what Tabitha does. As a highly achieving student, Tabitha might be applying to a selective school along with lots of qualified applicants. They may share similar grades and accomplishments, so the recommendation letters are especially important for providing something beyond the resume. Unfortunately, this letter doesn't do that. It could be written by almost anyone with a record of Tabitha's school and community involvement. Finally, a recommendation letter that's too short immediately gives a bad impression to admissions officers. They can see right away that a teacher didn't spend much time on it. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. The Short Letter Dear Admissions Committee, It is my pleasure to recommend Ethan for admission to your college. I had Ethan in my th grade math class. He was a strong student, worked well with others, and impressed me with his consistent effort. In addition to taking a challenging course load during junior year, Ethan took part in the Amnesty International Club and contributed to the school newspaper. He wrote a compelling article about the current state of civil rights in America. Ethan has my strong recommendation for college. He's bright, motivated, and has strength of character. I'm sure he will do great things. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at cantbebothered@gmail.com. Sincerely, Shirley RushedMath TeacherAbrupt Academy Just by looking at it, you can see what makes this recommendation letter so weak. Besides its short length, what else makes it ineffective? Is that it? Is there more on the back...? The Break Down Like the other two examples, this letter doesn't say anything bad about Ethan. But overall, it's lacking. For one thing, it's way too short. A recommendation letter should be a full page in length. Second, the article mentions some of Ethan's strengths - his consistent effort, his newspaper writing, and his apparent interest in issues of human rights. But the short letter doesn't take time to delve into these qualities and paint a fuller picture of Ethan. The teacher mentions a compelling article about civil rights, but doesn't explain what it said or why Ethan was motivated to write it. There are a few points here that could tell the reader a lot more about Ethan if the recommender had described them more fully. As it is, the letter offers little information or insight. As part of Ethan's application, it would be quickly forgettable. Strong recommendation letters take time and thought to craft. Apart from what I already discusses, what other features weaken all three of these recommendation letter examples? What Else is Wrong with These Letters? Another thing that none of these letters do is customize to the college or program the student is applying to. Often, teachers provide one letter for students to upload to their Common Application and send off to all their colleges. While this is fine for the most part, it can strengthen an application if the letter is customized to the specific school, especially if it's a selective school. If a student is applying to an Ivy League school like Harvard, then she should strive to make every aspect of her application as strong as it can possibly be. This includes obtaining recommendation letters that are customized to Harvard and attest to her ability to succeed in such an academically rigorous environment. Again, the letters don't have to be customized, but it's a good idea for them to be if the school is especially competitive. It's more important that they are enthusiastic, use powerful language, and tell meaningful and memorable stories that reveal a student's unique qualities and help differentiate her from other applicants. None of the above letters accomplish this, unfortunately. Whether you're a teacher writing a letter or a student getting one for your college applications, what can you do to avoid having a letter like the ones above? This is a close call. Avoiding a bad recommendation letter doesn't have to be. What Can You Do to Avoid a Bad Letter of Recommendation? If you're writing recommendation letters for your students, make sure your letter isn't weakened by word choice that is lukewarm and could be made stronger unnecessary repetition of data from a student's resume a focus on academic ability without much mention of personal qualities statements not backed up with specific examples generic or cliche phrases. As you revise your letter, be on the lookout for words that could be made stronger or examples that could be made more specific. If you find yourself in need of more information or material, talk to the student about her interests and goals and what qualities she hopes you'll highlight in her letter. Students should share information with their recommenders, as well as let them know what would go into their ideal letter. If you're a student applying to a writing program, let your English teacher know that you'd love her to talk about your writing skills. If you're an aspiring future engineer, ask your physics teacher if she'll speak to your problem solving abilities. This helps your teacher make your letter more specific and effective. As letters take time and effort to do well, students should ask their teachers early - especially ones who get slammed with recommendation requests senior year (English teachers tend to get a ton of requests). Both students and teachers alike need to put serious time and thought into their recommendation letters to get strong ones. These references are a very important part of the college application. The best ones require planning, effort, and communication between students and their recommenders. What's Next? Now that you've read these examples of bad recommendation letters, check out these examples of strong reference letters (coming soon). For more on writing strong recommendation letters (that don't end up sounding unenthusiastic, repetitive, or uninformed), check out this in depth guide. Do counselor recommendation letters differ from teacher recs at all? Read about how school counselors can write strong recommendation letters for the students on their caseload. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: