你的意见很重要:挖掘推荐书的潜力

When was the last time you bought something without doing any research—not even one quick online search, 给朋友发短信或查看消费指南? In the digital age, 软件下载需要的所有信息都可以立即获得, and as consumers, we expect quality products or events to have reviews readily available. 

推荐书是研究过程的关键部分, where we can learn from one another about a service or product to help make the best investment decision possible. Recent studies show that 85%的消费者信任在线评论 和个人推荐一样多. 当涉及到重大的生活经历时，它也不会改变, such as which college to choose or which degree program to enroll in. In fact, the bigger the purchase, the more important the vetting process becomes. 考虑到上大学的费用，你最不想看到的就是后悔.

为什么推荐信很重要?

Testimonials from college students offer an honest inside look at where prospective students might be going and the experience that awaits them. 有谁比那些经历过的人更适合去问呢? They can share what stands out and even offer a little insight into paths not taken and what they would have done the same or differently if they could go back in time. 

For colleges, testimonials build trust and credibility but also help showcase all the features and benefits their programs have to offer. 例如，在浏览 贺晶大学的推荐信, many current and former students mention the flexibility of the coursework and affordability as highlights of their time at Herzing. 其他人则鼓吹职业准备和在线选择. 对于一个未来的学生谁是导航许多选择, seeing honest feedback can help them make the correct choice about what is best for their future, from the investment and schedule to career paths and overall lifestyle. 

How to Write a Testimonial  

Ratings and reviews are commonplace but that doesn’t mean all are created equal. There is a way to write a testimonial that succinctly and authentically presents your opinions without alienating or boring your audience. 要写一篇与众不同的推荐信，请记住以下几点:  

• Keep it short. 推荐信是关于你的反馈和经历, 而不是你伟大的美国小说的初稿. Stick to the main message and clearly state your opinion without rambling. 
• Keep it relevant. 读者想要他们可以利用的新闻. Highlight what is pertinent to the topic and concisely share your thoughts. 
• Be specific. Using descriptive words and emotions to highlight your message gives readers a more complete and authentic view of your experience, providing something concrete to use for comparison and information gathering. Have you ever been intrigued by “It was good,” or “It was fine” reviews?
• Highlight what is unique. Emphasizing what makes a college or program stand out is a helpful way to emphasize the aspects that will resonate with a student once they’ve enrolled. For example, 你可能会说，虽然你喜欢在线课程的灵活性, having access to the professors for one-on-one discussion helps you connect more deeply with the subject. A prospective student might not expect to have that kind of access to their professors for online classes and that is information they can use to help inform their decision.
• 强调普遍的东西，而不是个人的. Sharing the feelings and questions you had when you were a prospective student shows the reader what they can reasonably expect by making a similar choice. Say what you found valuable, what you found interesting, 你庆幸自己学到了什么或做了什么, 以及你的选择如何带来积极的结果. 这将有助于潜在的学生, parents, or guidance counselors get a general idea of how your personal experience could translate to someone else. 
• 强调积极的一面，宽容地对待消极的一面. Testimonials that are honest and objective are effective and informative but beware of the review that sounds either too good to be real, or too angry to be relevant. 每一次经历都会有起起落落, and passing judgment without full context is not necessarily helpful to someone else. Give the right context, but allow your feedback to deliver an opinion, not a takedown. 

Testimonials are a great, low-stakes way to share your feedback and help others who were once like you, 寻找有助于做出重要决定的答案. 与贺晶大学分享你的想法 职业发展服务团队, 在你的社交媒体渠道上上网, and anywhere you think a future student could search for helpful insights. Everyone’s path is their own, and testimonials can serve as helpful guideposts.