Recommendation letters

A recommendation letter is the only part of the application that describes your student in someone else's words. Students cannot write it, but they can choose the right people, ask early and make the letter easy to write.

Who writes letters

• Teachers: many colleges ask for one or two, usually from core academic subjects.
• The school counselor: a letter about the student in the context of the school, sent with the school report.
• Optional letters: some colleges accept one more, from a coach, employer, mentor or faith leader. Send it only if it adds something new.

Each college states how many letters it requires and from whom. Some public universities do not ask for letters at all.

Which teachers to ask

The best letters come from teachers who know your student well, not necessarily the teachers who gave the highest grades. Good choices often share a few traits:

• Taught your student in 11th grade, or in 10th grade in a subject continued later.
• Saw your student grow, recover from a setback or take an idea further than required.
• Teaches a subject related to your student's interests, if possible.
• Will remember your student as a person, not only a grade.

When to ask

Many students ask in the spring of junior year, in person, before the summer. Others ask at the very start of senior year. Popular teachers often limit how many letters they write, so earlier is better. Give at least four weeks before the first deadline, and more if possible.

What to hand them

A short information sheet helps a teacher write a specific letter. Keep it to one page:

• The colleges and their deadlines, earliest first.
• Two or three moments from the teacher's class: a project, a discussion, a question the student is proud of.
• A short list of activities and interests.
• What the student hopes to study, if they know.
• A thank-you, in writing.

The FERPA waiver

Most applications ask whether the student waives the right to read their recommendation letters later. Many counselors recommend waiving it, because colleges may give more weight to letters written in confidence. The choice belongs to the family.

The counselor letter

At larger schools, a counselor may work with hundreds of seniors. A short meeting early in senior year, plus the same information sheet, helps the counselor write about your student specifically. Homeschool families write this letter themselves; chapter 11 explains how.

1. Spring of junior yearChoose two teachers and ask in person.
2. SummerWrite the one-page information sheet.
3. Early senior yearSend the sheet, confirm deadlines and invite each recommender in the application system.
4. Two weeks before each deadlineA polite reminder, if the letter has not been submitted.
5. After decisionsA thank-you note with the news. Teachers want to know.

The Caveat Family Guide to College is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Each college decides admission, aid and how credit counts, and requirements change; check each college's own pages. Examples are examples, not promises. Caveat Academic Services is an independent college preparation company. Students do all of their own work.