Recommendations from secondary school teachers and counselors are extremely important (when applying to schools) with selective admissions (to) help us see beyond test scores and grades and other credentials and can illuminate such personal qualities as character and leadership as well as intellectual curiosity, creativity, and love of learning.
- William R. Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions at Harvard
Some colleges may require or encourage you to include two or three recommendations with your application, while others no longer use them as part of their review. It is your responsibility to know which schools require letters of recommendation, their policies regarding whom the letter should be from, and the deadline for letters of recommendation to be submitted. To be sure your recommendations are effective and timely, put thought into your requests.
Ms. Sheri will help guide you through how to ask teachers for recommendations in early Spring.
Check with Ms. Liz who will have vetted teachers for you so that we don’t inundate one teacher with too many requests.
Typically, students ask their junior year teachers since they are still in their class or have just finished that class. Teachers know they need to turn them into Ms. Liz before they leave for the summer.
Regardless of the year in which you had a teacher, it’s most important to ask a teacher who knows you well and will feel comfortable writing a positive recommendation about you. Ms. Sheri and Ms. Liz will keep this in mind when appro
If you have declared a specific major, it is wise to ask a teacher in that course of study. Colleges prefer recommendations from core academic teachers, but you can also ask your coach, advisor, internship supervisor, or a non-academic teacher who can provide an exceptional view of you.
DO NOT send more than the required number. You don’t want to irritate your application reader. Make sure you know which colleges require the most, so that we have all letters of recommendation written by the end of your junior year. You don’t want to realize the week before your application is due that, oops, you need a third letter of recommendation, although most schools require only two.
Set up a meeting and ask for a letter of recommendation no later than May 1st of your junior year. This will give teachers enough time to collect their thoughts and write a stronger and more sincere letter of recommendation by the end of the academic year.
Keep in mind that since you are asking someone to speak on your behalf and to dedicate a substantial amount of time to do so, you should ask for this recommendation in person.
Check with Ms. Liz and get the “go-ahead.”
Email your teacher to set up an appointment. Ask them if they would be willing to write you a supportive letter of recommendation for college.
Make it easy for them to give positive, detailed information about your achievements and your potential by refreshing their memory with this survey.
Bring these items to your scheduled meeting:
Resume
List of colleges
“Request” a letter of recommendation through SCOIR after the meeting. Do not actually send them the invitation, only put in their email address so that it will connect systems. If you’re applying to MIT, they will have you complete the same information in their portal (they don't use the Common App).
Send each teacher a hand-written thank you note, letting them know how much you appreciate both the time and effort that it took to write the letter. Teachers don't get paid extra for this work and it is a lot of work. Their efforts are admirable.
If a teacher has not written the letter and it is getting close to the deadline, take a few minutes to stop by his or her classroom to kindly ask if there is anything else that they might need in order to finish the letter or to see if you can help in any way. At this brief meeting, it is a good idea to remind them of the approaching deadline. Be kind, be appreciative, and be understanding.
The Common App offers applicants the opportunity to waive the rights associated with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
FERPA lets you request access to your recommendation letters after getting into and enrolling in a school. FERPA does not give you the right to see your letters of recommendations before they are sent.
By signing the FERPA waiver (or checking the box on an on-line form), the applicant surrenders the right to see the letter of recommendation from the school where they have been admitted. If you sign the FERPA waiver, the admissions office knows that the person writing the letter of recommendation is being honest and candid in the letter. Therefore, letters of recommendation accompanied by a FERPA waiver signature carry greater validity in the eyes of an admissions office.
To provide our students the best possible chance of admissions, our policy is for our teachers and counselors to only provide recommendations to students who have signed a FERPA waiver.