How to strategize on letters of recommendation
You’re hard at work in your classes again, except this time, you’re also preparing college applications. Recommendation letters are an essential piece of the application puzzle. Most schools, through the Common App, require a minimum of two letters with the option to submit a third. While it can be tempting to ask someone who you spend countless hours with (like a soccer coach or a piano teacher) your primary recommendations should be written by an academic teacher. That’s because schools want to learn about your preparation to succeed in college level coursework. If you have a really important relationship with an additional mentor, such as a coach, tutor, or boss, it’s wise to ask them for a third recommendation as well.
In addition to selecting an academic source, there are a several other factors to consider before you ask for academic recommendations:
Did they teach you during junior year? Your teacher will remember more of your excellent qualities if they’ve taught you recently, and for long enough that they got to know you. They’ll also know more about what kind of student you are now. You’ve probably changed and grown as a student and person since your freshman year! If they taught you multiple times, that’s even better. The course they taught you in during 11th grade is also likely to be more advanced and therefore more predictive of your performance in college.
Did you perform well in their class? It’s a no-brainer, you want a teacher who can praise your contributions to their classroom. Beyond earning high test and essay scores, did you establish a relationship with a teacher outside of their class by asking for help or to ask questions? Did you treat others in the classroom with respect and add value to class discussion? It’s ideal if they can be effusive and specific with their examples about your performance in the classroom in their letter.
Once you’ve identified your two academic recommenders, there are some steps you should follow to receive the highest quality letter possible as well as to let your teachers know how much you appreciate them.
Ask in-person: Whenever possible, ask your potential recommender in person! Reaching out in-person shows that you care and that you’re invested in the relationship. Let them know how much you enjoyed their class and why. Follow up with a thank you email the next day and be sure to ask them if they need additional information (like a resume) to help them with their letter.
Ask over email: The next best way to ask is over email. Sometimes, due to busy schedules, this is the only way, and that’s okay. In your email, take at least a few sentences to ask how they’re doing and to explain several aspects of their class that you appreciated. With those notes in mind, they’ll be able to write the strongest letter possible.
Above all, pick teachers with whom you have a strong relationship. When they’ve seen what a passionate student you are, they can share that with the admissions committees. At Arthur Smith Advising, we’ll work together to identify which teachers make sense for your application as a whole. We’ll mentor you through the process of reaching out, following up, and developing those relationships with your teachers for years to come.