Congratulations, you are almost done with high school and getting ready to start a new chapter in your life called college! If you are stressed about college applications, have no fear! Luckily I am here to provide some guidance on getting those letters of recommendations from your teachers! So, you already have in mind which teacher/teachers you want to ask, now what?
1. Make your “Senior Brag Sheet” Before you go asking your teachers for a letter of recommendation, make sure you are prepared to send them any documents that could aid in their writing process such as a senior brag sheet. This is essentially a document of all of your achievements throughout your high school career. From what extracurriculars you’re in, what awards you’ve received, to where you’ve worked, it is ALL in there. Think of it as your life resume. This will help your teachers get to know more about who you are and what you have accomplished since there is no way for them to know every aspect of your life outside of their classroom. Your school will most likely provide you with a template of a brag sheet. If not, here is one that I personally used given by my high school. You can use it as a general template and change up or just get ideas from it.
2. Be proactive and ask EARLY Now that you are prepared, it’s time to ask! Firstly, you DO NOT want to ask your teacher to write you a letter of recommendation 1 week before the deadline. They will either decline or, if they do accept, they might not put as much thought and effort into your letter given that they probably have a dozen other letters to write at the same time. From my experience, some teachers even have a deadline for requesting them. TLDR: Ask your teacher/teachers for a letter of recommendation VERY EARLY (even as early as the end of junior year/the beginning of senior year). ● How to ask: Make sure you wait for the PERFECT time to ask. You want them to be in a good mood and not busy with anything/anyone else so they can give you their full attention. You can email them asking to schedule a short 5 minute meeting or approach them at the end of class/school asking for 5 minutes if they are not busy working, eating, or preparing to leave. After they confirm they are free to talk, bring up the topic of college applications/letter of recommendations. Mention how you want to be proactive and do not want to wait until the last minute. Since you are asking early (or at least, you should be asking early after reading this), hearing that they have plenty of time to write your letter won’t stress them out and will more willingly accept your request and write a beautiful letter of recommendation for you. If they accept your request, graciously say thank you and that you will email all of the necessary information and documents (ex: senior brag sheet, list of colleges, and deadlines) to them by the end of the day. Before leaving, make sure to ask them if they need anything else from you and thank them once again!
3. Send your Follow-Up Email In this email, make sure to sincerely thank them for taking the time to write your letter. Attach your senior brag sheet and give your list of colleges that need their letter + deadlines. You can dress up this email however you want, just make sure to include those crucial items. Close the email by thanking them again, letting them know that they can always ask you questions, and that you will probably send a check-in email in a week or two before the deadline.
4. DONE! Essentially that is all! Depending on your school and the colleges you are applying to, the process for sending in letters of recommendations may vary. PLEASE make sure to confirm the process with your counselor and/or college.
3 Tips for ensuring the best letter of rec by Ryan N.
With the fall college application season just right around the corner, it is never too early to start planning ahead with the documents you need when applying for college. One of the most ones, especially when applying to private schools (often through the Common App), are letters of recommendation. Here are just THREE simple tips to help you get the best, most effective letters of rec that truly showcase your dedication to success!
1. Choose a teacher/advisor/counselor who knows you the best. The most effective letters of recommendations are ones that can truly attest to your skills and capabilities as a student. That being said, it is important to have your letter of rec come from a professional adult who fully knows the strengths in your academic abilities as well as the merit in your personal qualities! Typically, the closer you are to the person who is writing your letter of rec, the stronger your letter of recommendation will be because they can personally attest to your capabilities, and thus be more inclined to praise you well.
2. Plan ahead! In addition, to selecting a close adult to write a letter for you, be sure to also provide them with ample time to write the letter. Make sure to plan and know beforehand who you would like to have write you a letter of rec. That way, you can provide them with enough time to write before the application deadline. The more time they have to craft an effectively worded response the better. A rushed letter of rec is of the same quality as a rushed homework assignment, so give them a minimum of two weeks notice!
3. Have material ready for your writer. If you are asking a well-liked teacher for a letter of recommendation, chances are there are at least five other people who are asking him/her as well. The best thing you can provide your letter of rec writer, aside from a two weeks notice, are documents or “brag-sheets” that can help them write about you. These include, but not limited to, resumes, personal statements, past projects/portfolios, or really anything that showcases what you have done, what you like, and who you are as a person! Additionally, often times these teachers will ask you to provide information about the school/program that you are applying to, in order to help them write about your qualities that are tailored specifically to what a school/program may be looking for in applicants.
My experience with Letters of Recommendation by Andy
What I Did: I applied to 4 UC’s (Irvine, San Diego, Berkeley, and Los Angeles) and 4 Privates (Stanford, Chicago, Cornell, and Columbia). When I applied during the 2016-2017 cycle, I was required to submit at least 2 letters of recommendation to the private schools. I asked my AP Biology teacher, as well as my AP Calculus AB teacher, one month before the application was due for private schools. I took AP Biology and AP Calculus AB during my junior year. I established a strong relationship with both teachers during my junior year by participating frequently in class and showing an overall enthusiasm for learning. It helped that my AP Biology teacher was the supervisor for the American Red Cross club at my high school. I was a Board member for the Red Cross, which allowed me to build my relationship with my AP Biology teacher, as he saw not only my potential as a student, but as a leader. As for my AP Calculus AB teacher, I did not maintain my relationship with him during my senior year, and relied on the fact that I was a very good student in his class the year before.
What I Wish I Did:
I should’ve asked my teachers early into the school year, instead of a month in advance. Because teachers receive many requests to write letters of recommendation for college applications, I recommend asking them early on in September or October prior to applying and following up with reminders throughout the months.
Instead of being so fixated on the idea of getting two letters of recommendation from STEM teachers, I should’ve been more focused on asking teachers or supervisors who knew me well. I wish I asked my Mandarin teacher, who taught me for three years, or my Interact Club supervisor, whom I worked closely with during my senior year on a weekly basis, instead of my AP Calculus AB teacher. When thinking about whom to ask for letters of recommendation, I suggest to think about teachers and supervisors who know you best, who’ve seen your strengths not only in the classroom setting, but as a leader and human being. I also suggest maintaining your relationship with the teachers or supervisors, not solely for sake of asking for letters of recommendation in the future, but for the purpose of getting to know them at a more personal level.
After asking my two teachers for a letter of recommendation, I didn’t follow up with any updates in regards to my acceptances or a formal thank you email. I suggest thanking your teachers and supervisors formally, with an email or card, and updating them on your acceptances. My dad is a math professor in college and he says that when former students update him on their current activities and successes, he lights up and feels proud. I’d imagine the same for high school teachers and supervisors as well.