| Are you paying enough attention to your letters of | | | | scholastic achievement can write a recommendation |
| recommendation? Many high school students obsess | | | | for you. However, I still think it's a great idea to ask |
| endlessly over writing the college essay. They stay | | | | an English teacher - or someone who can write |
| awake nights fretting over taking the SAT or ACT. | | | | extremely well - to submit a letter of |
| Once they take their college admission test, they | | | | recommendation for you. |
| work diligently to improve their scores. However, | | | | You should also seek out a recommendation from a |
| most students do not give as much thought as they | | | | teacher in your proposed area of undergraduate |
| should to their letters of recommendation. | | | | study. Generally, I advise you to prepare a portfolio |
| I'm going to tell you a little bit about the importance | | | | and give it to each person you plan to ask to write a |
| of choosing your recommenders wisely so that you | | | | letter of recommendation for you. |
| can get letters of recommendation that will help you | | | | I also suggest that you meet face to face with your |
| get accepted to the college that's a good fit for you. | | | | recommenders to ask them to write the letter of |
| You cannot get admitted to a selective college or | | | | recommendation. If you have not chatted with your |
| university without having strong, positive letters of | | | | recommender for a while, sit down with her and |
| recommendation. These letters are crucial to helping | | | | update her on what you've been doing with your life |
| the admissions officers evaluate your application. | | | | before you ask her to write a letter of |
| The most Tier I universities will require that you | | | | recommendation. No email or telephone requests |
| submit 2-3 recommendations. They weigh them as | | | | unless a face-to-face request is impossible. |
| heavily as they do the other aspects of your | | | | Most recommendations should provide specific |
| application. So, you want to make sure that you get | | | | examples of: |
| glowing letters of recommendation. Letters of | | | | - your level of maturity, |
| recommendation are a very crucial part of the entire | | | | - leadership, |
| college application process. They are intensely | | | | - ability to work well with others, |
| personal components of your college application, and | | | | - character, |
| as such, they should be written by adults who have | | | | - scholarship or academic competence, |
| an in-depth knowledge of you as a person. | | | | - independence, |
| Your high school transcript and your standardized | | | | - ability to overcome challenges, etc. |
| test scores are all pretty objective instruments. But | | | | If your recommender cannot write a strongly |
| you should seek out recommenders who can help | | | | positive letter of recommendation, you should be able |
| you tell your story. Your letters of recommendation | | | | to determine that from her reaction to your request. |
| should, if possible, come from people who have | | | | In an ideal world, a person who cannot write a |
| known you for more than one year. Yet, these | | | | favorable letter of recommendation for you would |
| recommenders must also have recent, current | | | | decline your request. That doesn't always happen in |
| knowledge of who you are and what you are doing. | | | | real life. So, you have to be wise enough to only ask |
| So, if all of your letters of recommendation come | | | | the people who know you and like you well enough |
| from teachers you had in ninth grade, then you might | | | | to write a great letter of recommendation for you. |
| have a problem. | | | | If you follow my advice, you will be well on your |
| When I was in high school, we were told to ask our | | | | way to getting outstanding letters of |
| English teacher and our mathematics teacher to write | | | | recommendation that can help you get admitted to |
| our recommendations. Today any adult who has | | | | your dream college or university. |
| in-depth knowledge of your character and your | | | | |