Reconsideration letter: how to write one?

People who often deal with authorities, official establishments, or companies have faced a rejection at least once. If getting an authority’s permission is crucial for you, you will not be satisfied to accept rejection and give up. In an effort to convince the organization to decide favorably, you should consider renewed efforts in order to get what you need. It is a common practice in cases such as these to write a letter of reconsideration. A reconsideration letter is a formal request to an authority figure or an official that contains a request for their unfavorable decision to be reviewed or reconsidered.

A reconsideration letter, also known as a letter of reconsideration, is a formal document that you write to request the recipient to reassess a decision they made that negatively impacts you. This letter provides a platform for expressing your sentiments concerning the decision, presenting new evidence or clarifying any misunderstandings that might have led to the decision. Writing a reconsideration letter can seem daunting, but with the right approach, it’s a straightforward process. However, if you are struggling with writer’s block, you might consider turning for paper writing services for help with writing a letter of reconsideration.

The Writing Process of a Reconsideration Letter

Begin by understanding the reason for the decision you’re contesting. Once you comprehend the context, you can draft an impactful reconsideration request. Gather any supporting documents or new information that could strengthen your argument. Structure your letter formally, adhering to the standard format of a reconsideration letter.

Personal Growth through Reflective Writing

Reflect on the situation and your feelings about it. Use this reflective posture to write with honesty and openness, maintaining an introspective stance that communicates your understanding of the decision and why you believe it should be reconsidered.

Reflective Structure: Crafting Your Narrative

Your reconsideration letter should have a clear structure. It should begin with a formal salutation, followed by an introduction where you respectfully request reconsideration. State your reasons in the body of the letter, supporting them with facts. Conclude by thanking the recipient for their time and consideration.

Reflective Learning: The Takeaways

Writing a reconsideration letter helps you articulate your thoughts, emotions, and ideas effectively, developing your formal writing skills. It also gives you a chance to learn from past events and use critical thinking to create compelling arguments for reconsideration.

The Impact of Reflective Writing

Reflective writing in a reconsideration letter allows you to express your feelings and thoughts about the decision in question. It can also provide the recipient with deeper insights into your situation, potentially influencing them to reevaluate their decision. Moreover, reflective writing cultivates empathy, encouraging the recipient to put themselves in your shoes. This process of empathetic understanding may prompt a shift in perspective, opening a window for potential reconsideration. Ultimately, the impact of reflective writing goes beyond the objective of getting a decision reconsidered; it fosters dialogue, understanding, and growth on both ends of the conversation.

Choosing a Topic for Your Reflective Essay

While drafting your reconsideration letter, the topic or subject of your letter is critical. The subject line should accurately represent your request for reconsideration, making it clear to the recipient what the letter is about. Think of the subject line as your letter’s title. It should be short, straight to the point, and tell the reader what the letter is about. For example, if you’re asking for a job application to be looked at again, you could write something like “Job Application: Asking for Another Look.” This way, the person who gets your letter will know what it’s about right away, and they’ll be more likely to pay attention to what you’re saying.

Reflective Posture: Maintaining an Introspective Stance

As you write, maintain a respectful and professional tone. Regardless of your feelings, your aim should be to present a logical argument rather than expressing anger or resentment. Additionally, you should always remember to be polite in your communication. Being courteous, even when you’re upset about the situation, will make the recipient more likely to read your letter and consider your request. Also, keeping your writing concise and to the point will make it easier for the recipient to understand your concerns. Furthermore, always proofread your letter to avoid any errors or misunderstandings. Lastly, you should remember that you are asking for reconsideration, not demanding it. This mindset can help guide your writing and keep your tone appropriate.

Reflective Structure: Organizing Your Thoughts

Organize your thoughts before you start writing. Draft an outline of your reconsideration letter, ensuring that all your points are included. This can make the writing process smoother and ensure that your argument is structured logically. Keep your words calm and choose them carefully. Try to focus on facts and clear explanations, not emotions. It’s okay to say you’re upset, but try not to let this take over your letter. Instead, put your energy into explaining why the decision should be changed. Use examples if you can, and be sure to double-check your letter for errors before you send it. This will make your request look serious and well thought out.

Writing the Reflective Content

Begin your reconsideration letter with a polite introduction, stating your purpose. The body of the letter should provide detailed reasons for your reconsideration request, supported by facts and any relevant documents. Conclude with a brief, polite request for reconsideration.

Reflective Learning: Extracting Lessons

After writing the letter, reflect on the process. What lessons have you learned? How has the process impacted your understanding of the situation? Perhaps you’ve learned about the importance of being clear and precise in your communication. You might also have realized the value of backing up your points with evidence. This process could have also shown you that it’s okay to speak up when you disagree with a decision. And lastly, you might have learned that it’s essential to stay professional, even in tough situations. This reflection can help you improve your writing skills for future letters, and handle similar situations more effectively.

Reflective Skills: Applying Critical Thinking

Applying critical thinking skills is crucial. Evaluate the decision objectively, presenting a comprehensive argument to the reader. Your ability to critically analyze the situation can greatly influence the outcome. To add to that, your critical thinking skills allow you to separate facts from feelings. This way, you can focus on the most relevant points. Plus, thinking deeply helps you understand the other party’s perspective. You can then address their concerns more effectively in your letter. Lastly, by weighing up all the facts, you might find additional arguments to support your case. Using critical thinking in your letter shows you’ve taken the time to understand all aspects of the situation, which can make your request for reconsideration stronger.

Reflective Impact: Understanding the Transformation

Sending a reconsideration letter might transform the situation and lead to a more favorable outcome. Even if the decision isn’t reversed, you gain valuable experience and learn how to present your case effectively in the future.

Using the above guide, you should be able to craft a compelling reconsideration letter. Reflect on the process, learn from it, and grow.

Steps for Writing a Reconsideration Letter

1. Address the recipient in a formal manner. Explain the purpose of your letter, and mention your previous request. Explain the reasons behind the rejection or the unfavorable decision you would like to be reconsidered. Ask for a reconsideration of the company’s position.
2. Explain the dispute in detail. List the company’s reasons and arguments for issuing the rejection. Stay concise, clear, and focused, while keeping your emotions out of the matter.
3. List your arguments as to why the establishment’s decision should be reconsidered. Include facts you think are needed to legitimize your appeal. Mention specific times and dates when particular events happened.
4. Add additional evidence or facts that would speak in your favor in this particular case. These might be testimonials from reliable people you know from work, medical certificates, transcripts of records or receipts, and so on.
5. In your conclusion, restate your position and briefly summarize your arguments. Add your contact information, and end by thanking the recipient for their time.
6. Proofread your letter; check all the information for validity, possible mistakes, and inaccuracies.

Reconsideration letter is a formal writing. Of course you don’t want to mess anything up. That’s why you shouldn’t limit yourself from getting an outside opinion. Essay writing service reviews show that you can even ask for a professional help on this matter.

Topic Selection

Reconsideration letters are usually written in cases where your first request for something has been denied, forcing you to push for a more favorable decision. For example, you can ask for reconsideration if you were denied financial assistance, a prescription for a specific medicine, an application for a scholarship or academic program, rental of expensive equipment, or to request a review of a criminal case.

Key Points to Consider

1. The letter’s tone should stay polite no matter how disappointed you were with the rejection of your request. The letter should gently ask for a reconsideration, restate the company’s reasons for denial, and provide arguments as to why the decision should be reconsidered.
2. The usage of the personal pronoun “I” is acceptable in a letter of reconsideration; however, it is better to minimize its use.
3. Without a sufficient argument in your favor, your appeal will most likely remain unsatisfied. Therefore, if you cannot offer evidence to support your claim, sending the letter of reconsideration is pointless.
4. To avoid creating an impression of total dissatisfaction, comment on possible solutions to your disagreement with the company.

Do and Don’t

Do Do find out the deadline in which the appeal may be lodged; make sure to submit your letter well before this date. Do use bulleted lists when introducing arguments to make your reconsideration letter more user-friendly. Do be objective; avoid blaming the addressee for denying you in a matter that was important. Likewise, avoid twisting the facts to make your argument appear more favorable. Focus on valid facts. Do make sure you’ve presented your arguments in a clear and understandable manner. Do use appropriate spelling and grammar; make sure to proofread carefully before submitting your reconsideration letter.

Don’t Don’t try making an emotional appeal—refer only to facts and evidence. Don’t address the recipient in a familiar manner—instead, only use official titles and surnames. Don’t assume your recipient remembers or is even familiar with your particular case; state your matter in the letter briefly, yet fully. Don’t beg. Likewise, don’t flame the company with multiple letters hoping they will satisfy your claim to get you to stop. If you do, most likely your claim will continue to be denied because you’ve asked for reconsideration too many times. Don’t try to write your letter immediately following your rejection. Take the time to not only have proper preparation, but also to give yourself time to calm down and think clearly. Gather the materials you will need to support your claims, and then make an outline of the letter to see if all your arguments flow logically.

Common Mistakes When Writing a Reconsideration Letter

– Poorly formatting your letters will not help your case. If the letter is sent via email, avoid using weird fonts, lots of capital letters, multicolored text, gigantic headings, and other informal, eye-catching gimmicks. If you send a printed reconsideration letter, make sure it is on quality paper. Sending a photocopy or a poorly-formatted paper letter may reduce your chances of a satisfying appeal.

– Avoid using abbreviations or acronyms without fully explaining their meaning. Spell out difficult names and complicated terms out the first time, and then put the abbreviations in parenthesis so when the abbreviation is used later, your recipient will understand what it means.

– Being too emotional about the claim. The letter should be businesslike and formal; this is no place for blaming, complaining, or resenting.

– Composing excessively long letters supersaturated with detailed descriptions of the case almost guarantees that it will not be read. Keep your letter concise, short, and straight to the point; have the focus only on what is important.

Now that you have acquainted yourself with the basic reconsideration letter writing tips and rules, you can check out our reconsideration letter samples to link theory with practice.

A*Help Insights - sign up for our Newsletter

Sign up

Thanks for signing up!

Something went wrong. Please try again later.

Follow us on Reddit for more insights and updates.