Guest Blog: Tips for Requesting Teacher Letter of Recommendations from a High School Counselor
We were so excited to have College Counselor Samantha Schreiber from Polytechnic School write this blog article for us, as she used to be a blog writer when she worked for the USC Office of Admission many moons ago. We asked her to write a blog article about asking teachers for letters of recommendation. Here are her six tips!
It’s not just about a good grade when it comes to teacher recommendations.
Letters of recommendation from teachers are meant to give depth to who you are in the classroom, beyond just your transcript. You don’t need to ask for a letter in classes where you only have As! There is often much to be said about a student’s ability to overcome an academic obstacle, like a disappointing test grade or difficult paper, that helps colleges see how you’ll handle the rigors of college curriculum. How you interact with your peers and teacher, inside and outside of the classroom, is helpful insight into who you are far beyond just the letter/number grade you receive. If you don’t have an A in a class but have demonstrated your ability to work hard, ask for help and maintain a can-do attitude. When it comes time for that teacher to write your recommendation, that will be something worth sharing!
Follow your school’s procedures.
Every high school is going to have its own procedures for when and how you should request letters of recommendation. Be sure to follow yours! Most of the time, just asking your teacher is not enough, since it’s pretty rare to send paper letters of recommendation; you often need to add them digitally somewhere (e.g. the Common App) so they can upload and send your letter. Ask your counselor and be sure to give yourself and your teacher enough time to troubleshoot if need be.
Are you showing your teachers what kind of student you are?
Showing up to class and doing the work is an expectation for all high school students. So how are you standing out? Are you the first to raise your hand as a question hangs silently in the air? Are you the group member that always brings your peers back on task when a conversation wanders? Do you seek out your teacher outside of class to enhance your learning or knowledge? If you’re on the quiet side, have you started to push yourself to participate more? These are just a few examples of the many ways students differentiate themselves from one another. Make sure you’re showing teachers who you are! For this reason, more recent teachers are also preferable to ask. Who you were in 9th grade is less helpful to admission than your upperclassmen self.
Ask your teacher if they need anything from you - but don’t overdo it!
When you ask your teacher to write for you, you can also ask if they’d like any supplementary information from you. Some may have a sheet for you to fill out or ask for a resume; others may not want anything. To be prepared, I suggest answering some simple questions about you and the class you’re in. Why are you choosing to ask this teacher? What is an assignment or test you’re particularly proud of your performance on and why? What has been your favorite part of the class? How has the class helped you learn about yourself and (maybe) what you want to study in college? If there is anything specific you want your teacher to know, make sure you tell them. Maybe you had the flu during midterms or are a three-season athlete (which impacts your last class of each day). Maybe you have other extenuating circumstances outside of your control. All this being said, your teacher (and the admission office) does not need a compendium of work since elementary school, your middle school science project, etc. Keep it to the point and remember to give them what they want.
Don’t worry about what you can’t controls
Admission officers know that not every student’s school and classroom experience is created equal. If you’re at a large school where it’s tough to form relationships, admission officers get it! If your teacher has a huge caseload and may be asked to write a lot of letters–which h impacts how long their letters can be–admission officers get it! Maybe your counselor had spell check turned off one day. embarrassing for them, but admission counselors won’t hold it against you! Give your recommenders the time and space they need to write the best letter they can for you… and don’t sweat the rest.
THANK YOUR RECOMMENDERS!
Do not wait until you receive a decision or know where you’re attending to thank your recommenders. After you’ve applied to your first school, write them a thank you note. Their letter enabled you to complete your application. Then, you can update them once you know where you’ll attend!