Recommendation Letters!

Everyone is hard at work on applications, and I suspect that many of you are nearing completion of your essays, etc. But, many of you may also have teacher and counselor recommendations that you must submit to the colleges to which you are applying. Heres my advice to help you come away with the strongest possible letters of recommendation.

I will start here with teacher recommendations. You want to find a teacher who can say that you’re brilliant and hard working, and that you really add to the class. It is not a good idea to have a ninth grade teacher write you a recommendation. If at all possible, it’s best to find a teacher from your junior or senior year . Next, you should carefully consider which teachers you ask to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf. Think back to a class you really excelled in and enjoyed. Or, ask yourself what is your favorite subject . You should ask a teacher from one of these classes to write for you. Since I liked and excelled in history and foreign languages, I had a history teacher and a foreign language teacher pen my recommendations. I also had had two English teachers write letters for me since I had enjoyed their classes and done well in them.

Make sure your teacher knows the deadlines, and give him or her at least one month to complete the letter. Provide a resume and try and meet with your teacher before he or she writes the letter. You should talk about why you wish to attend the colleges he or she is recommending you to, what you got out of the class you took with him or her, and maybe your future ambitions. Lastly, write a thank-you note to the teacher, and let him or her know where you end up going to college.

I will now address the counselor recommendation. Many of you probably go to big public schools where you might not know your counselor that well. Do not fret about this. There are things you can do to end up with a good letter. You should meet with your counselor, and talk about where you are applying to college, your favorite classes in high school, and your favorite extracurricular activities. You should also provide your counselor with a resume. Remember to give him or her at least a month to write for you. Send a thank you note. Giving your teacher and counselor plenty of lead time to write the letter will result in a much better recommendation and make the application process less stressful.

Son