College Recommendation Letter: Everything You Need to Know
Our guide shows you who to ask, how to ask, and how to make sure the letters arrive with your application and showcase the best of who you are.
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College applications are typically the first time high school students need letters of recommendation. Donât let this key step to the admissions process freak you out. Our guide shows you who to ask, how to ask, and how to make sure the letters arrive with your application and showcase the best of who you are.
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What is a college recommendation letter?
College letters of recommendation are letters written by teachers and guidance counselors showcasing a studentâs achievements, personality traits, and dedication to their academic goals. They are used by admissions departments as part of their criteria for admission and to see if a studentâs teachers think they are college ready. You can also submit supplemental letters of recommendation from other adults who know you well and can speak to your positive traits and experiences; however, the teacher and guidance counselor letters are typically the only ones required.
Who can write a letter of recommendation for college?
Most colleges and universities want 1-2 letters of recommendation from a teacher(s) and 1 letter of recommendation from a guidance counselor. This can vary school to school, however, so be sure you know the requirements of each of your schools.
Additionally, most colleges and universities allow you to submit supplemental letters of recommendation in addition to those they require. These letters, while not required, are a good way to showcase additional positive qualities or to highlight non-academic achievements. You should be purposeful in who you choose for these. Coaches, employers, and leaders of any non-school extracurricular activities tend to make good supplemental letter writers.
The key for all good letters of rec is that the person(s) you pick can speak to the qualities you are highlighting in your application. They need to be able to continue the narrative you are telling about yourself in your application materials. For example, if youâre telling a story about your ability to navigate community issues through diplomacy, the writer has to have something connected to that. They've seen you in community spaces and seen you act diplomatically in a difficult situation(s). They can and will speak to that, which futhers your narrative.
How many letters of recommendation do you need for college?
Typically you need 3: 2 from teachers and 1 from a guidance counselor. Some schools may ask for fewer, but not typically more than this number. You are also encouraged to submit supplementary letters of recommendation, but these are not required.
How long should a college letter of recommendation be?
Letters of recommendation are typically one typed page. Depending on the recommenderâs writing style and how well they know you, the letter might be slightly longer or shorter, but should aim for one page. Too short and it could look like the recommender does not know you well enough to be writing a letter of recommendation; too long and you risk the letter not being read to completion - college admissions officers have a lot of letters to read through!
What should be included in a letter of recommendation for college?
A letter of recommendation should include how the writer knows you, what their experience has been like in the classroom with you (or activity for a supplemental letter), and what traits they see in you that will help you succeed in your chosen path in college. This letter should speak to your ethos statement - the throughline of your college application - so that it supports the narrative youâre telling about yourself across your application.
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How to get a letter of recommendation for college?
Short answer: ask. Long answer: Make a list of teachers you feel have gotten to know you. If they have outside the classroom experiences with you, even better. Perhaps your AP Lit teacher is also your volleyball coach. Or maybe youâve had the same math teacher for the last three semesters. Make a list of all the teachers you think you could ask, then decide on the two you want to ask. Have backups in mind just in case. Then ask them! Our tips for asking are below.
For supplemental letters, follow the same approach, but consider which adults in your life have gotten to know you but have also seen you shine at a particular activity that relates to your college goals. Be purposeful in who you pick. This could be a research mentor, a coach youâve never had as a teacher, the supervising attorney at the law office you interned at, the leader of a civic organization, the organizer of a community coding group you participate in, etc.
How to ask for a letter of recommendation for college?
- Have an ethos statement. This is really key to your entire college application process. Before you even get to asking, be sure youâve crafted a throughline that will guide the narrative. Ivy Tutor Networkâs PAGE method will guide you through this. Youâll want all your recommenders to be aware of your ethos so they can speak to it in their letters.
- Ask in person first. Make sure to ask the teacher in person if they would be willing to write you a letter of recommendation. Tell them why you think theyâre a good person to ask.
- Follow up with an email. Once the teacher has agreed, follow up with an email thanking them for agreeing to write you a recommendation and provide them with additional information and context to get them started, especially your ethos statement. See our example email below.
- Invite them to be a recommender on the application portal. For schools that use the Common App, youâll want to input their information into the application portal so that they get an invitation to create a recommender account and have the ability to upload their letter once it's ready.
- Check in and send a reminder if needed. From your side of the Common App portal, you should be able to see when recommenders have submitted their letters. As the deadline approaches, send a reminder email (or two) to anyone whose letter has not been submitted. A week or two before the deadline is polite and helpful.
- Remember to thank them! Once the letter has been submitted, be sure to thank your teacher (or supplemental recommender). In person or via email is sufficient, but a handwritten thank you note goes the extra mile.
Letter of recommendation request example
We recommend always asking the teacher in person first. Once theyâve agreed, follow up with an email. It could read something like this:
Hi, Mr/Ms X,
Thank you for agreeing to write me a letter of recommendation. I know you have many students in a year and canât know everything about each one. Iâve attached a list of things Iâve done outside your classroom that I think are a really important part of my experience. I am trying to position myself as âxâ (insert your ethos statement) throughout my application. I am intending to major in âxâ and your letter will be used for the following schools (insert school names). Please let me know if I can provide you with any further information.
Best,
Your Name
On the Common App portal you should be able to see when letters have been submitted. Check regularly, and make sure to send a reminder a week before the deadline to those whose letters are still pending.
What does a good college recommendation letter look like?
A good college recommendation letter should address who you are inside the context of what the recommender teaches (literature, economics, biology, etc), and then show how the qualities theyâve seen of you in class will serve you on your chosen academic path. If, for example, youâve asked your literature teacher to write you a recommendation, their letter should tell readers about your excellence in the classroom (âJane is an insightful student, often drawing conclusions and making connections that others in the class miss.â), but then should connect that to your academic goal (âJaneâs ability to empathize with the human experience and understand how an individualâs experience influences their behavior and world view will serve her well as she pursues a degree and career in social work.â). This is why it is so important that you tell recommenders about your goal and how you intend to position yourself throughout your application materials.
Comparative language is another way teachers and guidance counselors can write an exceptional letter of recommendation. If they can situate your talents and qualities in terms of their broader teaching experience, this can set the letter - and you - apart. For example, if your teacher says âIâve been teaching for âxâ years and Jane is one of the most âxâ students (insightful, intelligent, empathetic, ect) Iâve had in my classroom over years,â this is more impactful than simply saying âJane is âxââ.
A good supplemental letter will also tie what the recommender knows of you to your ethos statement. In fact, that is the purpose of the supplemental letters: to choose people who can speak to the narrative youâre trying to convey in your other application materials.
How to send a letter of recommendation to a college?
As is the case with most things, letters of recommendation are sent digitally. Teachers and counselors will send the letters directly to your school(s). Typically this is done through the Common Appâs recommender account. In your Common App portal you will invite your recommenders to provide a letter of recommendation. An email will notify them of this and ask them to create a recommender account which allows them to upload the letter theyâve written. This letter will then be shown to the schools youâve selected. In the event one of your schools does not use the Common App, they will provide you with instructions for submitting letters of rec.
Letters of recommendation are an important part of the college application process. By starting early and following these guidelines youâre sure to end up with glowing reviews.
If youâre feeling stressed about the college admissions process, an Ivy Tutors Network College Admissions Coach can help. Reach out to get started.
