<p>On the letters of recommendation, it has a space to put your social security number. I am applying for financial aid but I really do not feel comfortable putting it on the my teachers letters in case it is lost or misplaced. They will get my social security number on the actual application though. The school has given me an "ID number" to put on the envelopes so they can identify me so is it necessary that I put it on the letters?</p>
<p>I'm just wondering, what is on a SS#? What does it show?</p>
<p>It is a number that is pretty much your identity for the government. School's need it if you're applying for financial aid. If it gets lost and falls in the wrong hands, thats usually how your identity is stolen and all that jazz...</p>
<p>Can someone answer my question?</p>
<p>You should ask the scholarship company. Call, e-mail, or write to them; I don't think anyone here can really help you if he/she does not know which company you are dealing with.</p>
<p>Personally, if you are supposed to put your SS# on a letter of recommendation, I say do it. The chances of it getting lost in the mail are small (though it happens). However, you could call the scholarship company and ask if you can just fax it in if you still feel worried, which is understandable.</p>
<p>We just listed my son's SSN where asked. I didn't worry much about identity theft. Normal prudence is a good thing, but people can get a little paranoid about it sometimes.</p>
<p>^^I agree. Just have some trust and faith in our US postal workers. (Besides, if the company asks for it on the letter, put it. Don't disobey the directions.)</p>
<p>Oh, it doesn't say you have to, it just says its optional (its for the common app letter of rec form). Do you still think I should include it?</p>
<p>If it's optional, then don't if you don't want to. It just gives the schools a number to use for identification purposes, but they can use you actual name too.</p>
<p>Don't do it, best play it safe in this day and age.</p>
<p>Ok. I think I'm just going to put it on my application that I personally send online but not on my letters, just in case. My friend got his social security card stolen from him at school last year and it was horrible. :(</p>
<p>BY LAW: you will never be required to give your social security number. However, to qualify for some scholarship programs you may need to.</p>
<p>Remember that both your birthday and your SS# are on these applications. Don't let other people see your app, or just put those two as a last minute thing.</p>
<p>jamesn,</p>
<p>By law, there are many cases in which you ARE required to give your social security number. Failure to provide it can have severe consequences...such as not receiving financial aid, not being able to open a checking account, not getting into college, etc.</p>
<p>To all others:</p>
<p>Anytime you feel uncomfortable placing your social on an application or rec letter when it is an optional request...at least place the last 4 digits of your social. This way, if there is another applicant with the same name, it doesn't get confusing. Trust me...no matter how bizarre your name might be, chances are there may be someone else out there with the SAME exact name. I can't tell you how many times I have placed a student's paperwork into the wrong file because they didn't include their social.</p>