Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation greatly assist in the process of clearly portraying a student's assets. Considering the fact that the goal is acceptance to an academic institution, students are best off seeking academic, as opposed to personal, letters of recommendation. While it is advantageous for a student to seek out letters of recommendation in the core subject areas, they are likewise useful if relevant to the designated area of future study. For example, a letter from an AP Biology teacher would be helpful for a premed student. Not all college require letters of recommendation or a personal resume. Despite this fact, both have the potential to effectively enhance one's application packet. It is important that the letter is written by an individual who knows you and is familiar with your academic and/or extra curricular activities.
**At Frontier, we require all students requesting letters of recommendation to fill out a Request for Letter of Recommendation Form which can be found at the Frontier High School Counseling Page HERE. Or pick up a copy in the Student Service Center. Students can fill this form out once, make copies, and hand it directly to the teachers that you are requesting a letter from. Please make sure to give your counselor a copy of the form too. Counselors often have to complete recommendation forms on student's behalf as well.
Explain to the individual what the letter is for; scholarship, college admission, etc.
Indicate the deadline date and don't wait till the last minute!
Allow sufficient time for the individual to write the recommendation, usually two weeks
Recommendations should be typed
If more than one recommendation is required, it is a good idea to select individuals from two different academic areas
If you are applying to a specific major, for example biology, make sure that a recommendation is submitted from a science teacher
A Request for Letter of Recommendation form should be filled out to assist the person willing to write your recommendations (see above).
Typically ask for 2-3 letters of recommendation
A thank you is appropriate after the letter of recommendation is completed, either written or verbally.