Recommendation letters are essential when applying to colleges - they provide the admissions officers with a glimpse of your dominant characteristics as well as an exemplary relationship with a close teacher/coach/etc. As a result, they play an important role in the decision-making process in the admissions office.
Here's some advice for you when you have to deal with recommendation letters:
1) Who to Ask?
Choose someone who knows you well enough to write a strong, honest, and convincing letter on your behalf. Some suggestions for potential candidates are employers, teachers, other administrators, and anyone else who is professionally acquainted with your personality.
2) When to Ask?
One of the biggest mistakes college students have is asking teachers in the fall of Senior year for the recommendation letter. Although this isn't always a bad idea, it is strongly recommended to ask in the spring of junior year - this way, if the person says they won't / can't write the letter for any reason, you will be able to look for another person to write it without any worry.
3) How to Ask?
There is no other acceptable way to ask for a recommendation letter than in person. If you can't even make a sincere effort to ask them to write you this letter, why should they make a sincere effort to write a superb letter? Also, when you ask, please do say why you need this recommendation letter (for college, internship, etc)
4) What to Include?
You should tell the person writing this letter what exactly to include - be specific! If you had excellent drive in this teacher's class, you may want to ask if he/she can focus on that. Or, if you had a lower grade at the start of the year, but then brought it up significantly, that would be a good topic to discuss in the letter.
Conclusion:
After the teacher sends out the letter, and you receive decisions from your colleges, you should be sure to hand-write a thank you note. This person has taken time out of their day to help YOU get into a place of higher learning - the least you can do to show them your appreciation is write a thank you note!
Here's some advice for you when you have to deal with recommendation letters:
1) Who to Ask?
Choose someone who knows you well enough to write a strong, honest, and convincing letter on your behalf. Some suggestions for potential candidates are employers, teachers, other administrators, and anyone else who is professionally acquainted with your personality.
2) When to Ask?
One of the biggest mistakes college students have is asking teachers in the fall of Senior year for the recommendation letter. Although this isn't always a bad idea, it is strongly recommended to ask in the spring of junior year - this way, if the person says they won't / can't write the letter for any reason, you will be able to look for another person to write it without any worry.
3) How to Ask?
There is no other acceptable way to ask for a recommendation letter than in person. If you can't even make a sincere effort to ask them to write you this letter, why should they make a sincere effort to write a superb letter? Also, when you ask, please do say why you need this recommendation letter (for college, internship, etc)
4) What to Include?
You should tell the person writing this letter what exactly to include - be specific! If you had excellent drive in this teacher's class, you may want to ask if he/she can focus on that. Or, if you had a lower grade at the start of the year, but then brought it up significantly, that would be a good topic to discuss in the letter.
Conclusion:
After the teacher sends out the letter, and you receive decisions from your colleges, you should be sure to hand-write a thank you note. This person has taken time out of their day to help YOU get into a place of higher learning - the least you can do to show them your appreciation is write a thank you note!
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