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When I think of letters of rec, I can only picture my AP Language teacher’s whiteboard, where he listed the names of seniors who approached him for a letter of recommendation. Throughout the first few weeks of senior year, the list grew alarmingly quickly, until people were in his room desperately begging for him to write them a letter.
You don’t want to be one of those people! Here are the strategies I used to escape common letter of recommendation blunders:
Not Putting in the Preparation
The end of junior year and the summer before senior year is a good time to start seriously considering which teachers you’ll be submitting letters of recommendation from. Although state schools (such as the University of California schools) are usually too overloaded to take supplementary materials like letters of rec, many private schools require 2 letters. They can be from teachers, club advisors, or other staff members.
You’ll want to keep questions like these in mind:
- What subject does my teacher teach? Is it similar or relevant to what I want to major in?
- How long ago did I take a class with this teacher (if applicable)?
- Does this teacher know my strengths (i.e. in group projects, in participation in class)?
- Do I think this teacher understands me enough to accurately represent me to the admissions officers of my dream school?
If the answers are “yes” and seem generally positive, go for it! That’s probably the teacher for you. Try to pick teachers that teach subjects in different departments to show you’re good at more than one thing, if possible, and recent teachers are preferred because their impressions of you are at their freshest. Knowing who you’ll ask will make the actual asking much easier.
Putting It Off Too Long
Going back to my AP Lang teacher, I remember people asking him to write for them even after he stopped taking requests – they’d waited too long to ask, and often were turned away and had to fall back on a teacher who knew them less, or taught them too long ago (again, bad preparation!).
It’s not too early to ask during the first week of school. My personal trick was that I actually sent my teachers an email during the first couple days and then went to their classroom to ask, “Did you see my email about the letter of rec?” That way, you can segue easily into your request instead of struggling to express what you need on the spot. Once you get the conversation out on the table and your teacher says yes, you’ll be one step closer to finishing your college applications.
Not Being Polite and Respectful
Teachers don’t get paid for writing letters of recommendation. It’s not part of their job description, meaning they aren’t obliged to write anything for anyone. But still they do, because they care about you seniors and want to help you get into the college of your dreams!
Keeping that in mind, when you ask for this very important favor, treat your teacher with the respect they’re due. Luckily, I haven’t seen anyone demand a letter of recommendation in a straight-up rude manner, but it’s easy for some students to fall into the mindset that writing a letter is something teachers owe them. Reality check: it’s not, so act accordingly.
Not Following Up
With so many letters to write, it’s not difficult for a teacher to miss one letter of rec in the flurry of students and memories and half-finished letter drafts. It’s your responsibility to make sure your teacher(s) write your letter of recommendation and sent it in to all of the schools on your list that require a rec.
Some teachers may ask for you to fill a form out or explain to them some specific moments or assignments during which you shined or showed your strengths. You should get back to them with a completed form as soon as possible – I did when both of my teachers asked for those. They’re human, and won’t possibly remember every stellar moment for every student they ever teach. (For you non-seniors, keep track of these moments throughout your high school years so you can bring them up later.
Once your teacher does finish and send in your letters, you can’t forget to thank them! A hand-written card and generous gift is the perfect way to show your appreciation for your teacher’s hard work.
Seniors, have you gotten your letters of recommendation yet? Why are you asking your particular teachers? Tell us in a comment below.
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