College applications are typically the first time high school students need letters of recommendation. Don’t 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.

College letters of recommendation are letters written by teachers and guidance counselors showcasing a student’s 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 student’s 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 you’re 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 recommender’s 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 

  - the throughline of your college application - so that it supports the narrative you’re telling about yourself across your application.

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 you’ve 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 you’ve 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?

This is really key to your entire college application process. Before you even get to asking, be sure you’ve crafted a throughline that will guide the narrative. Ivy Tutor Network’s 

 will guide you through this. You’ll want all your recommenders to be aware of your ethos so they can speak to it in their letters.

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 they’re a good person to ask.

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, you’ll 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.

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.

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.

We recommend always asking the teacher in person first. Once they’ve agreed, follow up with an email. It could read something like this:


Thank you for agreeing to write me a letter of recommendation. I know you have many students in a year and can’t know everything about each one. I’ve attached a list of things I’ve done outside your classroom that I think are a really important part of my experience. I am trying to position myself as ‘x’ (insert your ethos statement) throughout my application. I am intending to major in ‘x’ 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.

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 they’ve seen of you in class will serve you on your chosen academic path. If, for example, you’ve asked your literature teacher to write you a recommendation, their letter should tell readers about your excellence in the classroom (“Jane is an insightful student, often drawing conclusions and making connections that others in the class miss.”), but then should connect that to your academic goal (“Jane’s ability to empathize with the human experience and understand how an individual’s experience influences their behavior and world view will serve her well as she pursues a degree and career in social work.”). 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 “I’ve been teaching for ‘x’ years and Jane is one of the most ‘x’ students (insightful, intelligent, empathetic, ect) I’ve had in my classroom over years,” this is more impactful than simply saying “Jane is ‘x’”.

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 you’re 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 

 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 they’ve written. This letter will then be shown to the schools you’ve 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 you’re sure to end up with glowing reviews.


If you’re feeling stressed about the college admissions process, an Ivy Tutors Network College Admissions Coach can help. 

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College Recommendation Letter: Everything You Need to Know

As the college admissions cycle ramps up for the 2024-2025 school year, we want to make sure you have all the critical information you need at your fingertips. Check items off your application to-do list and never miss a deadline with our helpful guide. And if you’re still feeling overwhelmed by the process, reach out to one of our 

What is the common application for college?

The Common App is an undergraduate admissions application used by over 1000 schools in the U.S., and many countries abroad. This is the application used by the Ivy League schools as well as most major universities in the U.S. It allows you to create one application for all the schools you’re applying to, rather than using several different systems.

The admission cycle describes the annual process of applying for college that begins on August 1 of each year (when the Common App for that year becomes available) and ends in Mid-February when most schools stop accepting applications. The exact dates of each school’s admissions cycle vary, so be sure to know exactly when applications are due for each school on your college list. This is especially important if you are applying Early Decisions I, Early Decision II, or Early Action (application deadlines as early as Nov. 1). Certain scholarships are only available to students who apply by a certain deadline, so ensure you know those dates to get the most competitive financial aid package at your top choice schools.

How much does a college application cost?

College application costs vary by school, with the most expensive being around $100. The national average is $45.

How Can I Get a College Application Fee Waiver?

Yes. Most schools offer application fee waivers. To find out if you qualify, review the criteria at 

. If your school does not use the Common App, check out their admissions FAQ to learn how to get the application fee waived.

Each college has different application requirements, so it’s important to verify what you need for each school ahead of time. That being said, most colleges and universities require the following:

Whether the school uses the Common App or an application specific to their school, they’ll ask for basic information such as where you attended high school, info about your parent or guardian, which program you’re applying to, extracurriculars you participated in, etc. This tends to be the easiest section to fill out and the easiest to prepare in advance.

You’ll need to send your high school transcripts. If you participated in any dual enrollment courses through a local university, you’ll need to request and send those as well. If you’re applying as a transfer student, you’ll also need to send the transcripts from your current college.

Most schools require two letters of recommendation from teachers and one from a guidance counselor. You can choose to send supplemental letters of recommendation, but they’re not necessary.

. Most schools will require a college essay, sometimes called a personal statement. 

Check out our guide to writing an Ivy League-worthy essay

While many schools are test optional, not all are. Be sure to know if your school requires scores from the 

 as part of your application. Even if a university does not require these scores, if you have taken either test and performed well, it’s worth including them.

To give you the best possible financial aid package, many schools will request financial information about your family. Typically this will require filling out the 

 (FAFSA).  Some scholarships are only open to students with demonstrated financial need. Be sure to check all requirements for the scholarships offered at the schools to which you are applying.

College application deadlines vary by school, but here are traditional deadlines. As part of your college list, write out when applications are due at each of your schools.

 applications are typically due on November 1. Many Early Action and Restricted Early Action applications are also due by this date.

Early Decision II applications are typically due on December 15. Schools whose Early Action or Restricted Early Action applications were not due on November 1 are typically due by this date as well.

Regular decision applications typically have a due date between Jan 1 and Feb 15 of each year. If you’re applying regular decision, be sure to know the due dates for each of your schools’ applications.

What happens if you submit a college application after the deadline

Typically you will not be considered for admission if you submit your application after the deadline. Community colleges or State schools may have less strict deadlines, but the average college or university will firmly enforce their due dates.

How to apply for college: Step-by-step guide

While applying to college could be broken down into an infinite number of steps, at its core are four main steps: research, prepare, execute, submit.

 This step begins well before you’re able to type your name into a college application, but that doesn’t make it any less important. In the research step, you’ll want to make a 

 and you can begin this as early as 9th grade. Think about what you might like to study, what types of extracurriculars you want access to, what you’re looking for in terms of location and “vibe”. Start with a long list of possible schools and narrow down your list the closer you get to senior year by researching the schools, visiting campuses, and learning about admissions requirements.

 Once you know the schools to which you’ll be applying, make a list of what each school requires for its application and when everything is due (spreadsheets are your friend here). Begin thinking about essay topics (the Common App typically releases these well before the application opens) and which teachers you’ll ask for letters of recommendation. Seek out an admissions adviser to help make your application as strong as possible.

 This is the “doing” step. Fill out your application(s), write your essay, request transcripts, and speak to the teachers you’d like to write your letters of recommendation.

 Once your application is as strong as you can make it and you have all the additional materials you need to include, submit your application(s).

What are the 5 P's of college admissions?

The 5 P’s of college admissions is an outdated model that focuses on the “well-rounded person”. It no longer guides college admissions departments and their decisions.

What are three things colleges consider before granting admission?

Colleges look at many more factors than three when considering who to admit each year. Generally, however, the top three factors are grades (the higher the better), standardized test scores, and rigor (how much you challenged yourself academically in high school). We go through these and many other factors in 

our guide to getting into an Ivy League school

How do colleges choose students to admit?

Colleges choose students to admit based on the school’s rubric. This rubric is unique school to school and asks admissions officers to rate applicants based on a number of hard and soft factors. The more competitive the school, the more your “hard” factors (grades, test scores, rigorous course load, etc.) matter.

This largely depends on the student. It is recommended to apply to at least four schools, but some students choose to apply to 8-10. How many colleges you choose to apply to comes down to how competitive you are in the applicant pool of your top choice schools. Students who choose to apply to a lot of “reach” schools, will likely apply to a larger total number of schools to ensure they gain entrance. But if your top choice is somewhere you’re likely to be admitted, you may choose to do 1 reach, 2 match, and 1 safety school. Discuss with your guidance counselor or a 

Can applying to too many colleges hurt your chances?

It depends. As a general rule, no; apply to as many colleges as you want. That being said, it takes a lot of time and effort to put together a good college application. Often there are components that need to be optimized for each school or that are unique to one school, meaning the more colleges you apply to, the more work you’ll have to do. This can split your focus and make it hard to do your best work for each one. It’s best to have a clear goal school in mind and ensure that your materials are as strong as you can make them for that school rather than applying to a bunch of schools and seeing where you get in.

Yes, unfortunately, though it’s very rare. In the past this has happened when a system error accidentally sent acceptance emails to a batch of applicants who were not actually accepted. In most instances, the schools discover the error quickly and notify receivers of the email or letter of the error.

Typically there is a student application portal you can access to check the status of your application. Some schools do not use an applicant portal, in which case you’ll likely receive an email that your application was submitted successfully, and otherwise have to wait for another email with your admission decision.

10 Tips for Successful College Admissions

A successful college admissions experience begins well before senior year. Here are ten tips for getting into the school of your dreams ranging from things you can do in 9th grade to things that you do right before you apply.

With more than 3000 colleges in the U.S. alone, there are many schools to choose from and no one best school for you - chances are there are several that would be a great fit! You can start your search as early as 9th grade and begin narrowing down 

 as you fine tune your interests throughout high school.

Even if all your schools are “test optional,” good scores are a great way to differentiate yourself. Make sure to prepare for these tests; 

 to understand your strengths and weaknesses.

Participate in extracurricular activities that allow you to learn, grow, and showcase leadership skills. Find things that are relevant to your intended college major, but don’t forget to participate in things just for the enjoyment factor as well.

Academic rigor is important for college admissions. That doesn’t mean you have to take every advanced science class if that’s not your area of interest, but you should showcase a strong academic record in your intended major and be challenging yourself overall.

 stands for Perspective, Activity, Goal, and Ethos, and is a way of strategically showcasing yourself for the best chance at earning a spot at your dream school.

There are a lot of steps to take once applications open up. Once you know where you’re applying, have a list of what is all required as part of your application and when those items are due so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

7. Get strong letters of recommendation. 

Plan out who you will ask to write you a letter of recommendation and be sure to provide that person with everything they’ll need to write you a strong recommendation. Have backups in case certain teachers are unable to accommodate your request.

It’s easy to get excited (or panicked) and try to take care of all the elements of college admissions at once. Use the list you created of what you need and when it’s due to build a manageable time table for accomplishing everything.

A relevant personal statement with a strong ethos is important to your admissions goals. Check out our full list of 

If at any point you’re unsure how to proceed, are struggling in an important course, or don’t know how to figure out what the best fit program or college might be for you, work with an expert! Our 

The college admissions process can be daunting and exciting. But using this list, as well as the strategies linked within, will help you manage stress and successfully navigate admissions season.

College Admission Process: Your Ultimate Guide for 2024

Have you heard the term “GPA” but are unsure what it means or how to calculate it? GPA stands for grade point average (i.e., the average of all your course grades up to this point). While this makes it seem like all you need to do to calculate GPA is add all your grades together and divide by the number of courses you’ve taken, the reality is a little more complicated. And once you know your GPA, is that really all that matters - the number?  When you’re applying to college, do harder classes carry more weight than easier ones? Do universities care about gym and art grades? What if you did poorly in 9th grade: does it count as much as my 11th grade classes? And what’s the difference between a weighted and unweighted GPA? Do colleges care which one you have? This blog seeks to answer all your GPA-related questions, especially as they pertain to college admissions.

An unweighted GPA is a GPA that is calculated without taking into account the difficulty of the courses taken. All letter grades are given a value between 0.0 and 4.0 and GPA is calculated based on an average of point totals earned. In this system, Intro to Art and AP Physics carry the same weight and are capable of the same total score.

Unweighted GPA is calculated by adding together the point totals for all your letter grades and dividing by the total number of courses taken. For example, an ‘A’ in most schools is 4.0, a ‘B’ 3.0, and a ‘C’, 2.0, with + or - bumping up or down the number by degrees. If in one semester you had four As, two Bs, and one C, you would calculate your GPA by adding together 4+4+4+4+3+3+2 (24) and then dividing that number by 7, for a semester GPA of 3.43.


Here’s a typical conversion chart for calculating unweighted GPA.

What is a good unweighted GPA for an Ivy League?

The short answer: the higher the better. The long answer: it depends on many factors. Ivy League admissions departments are not just looking at the GPA number, they’re looking at the academic rigor of the school, and the total possible GPA. When reviewing applications, admissions counselors will look at academic performance in all your classes, with a higher importance placed on achievement in the courses that relate to your intended major as well as core classes (English, Math, Social Science, “Hard” Science). The competitiveness of the program to which you are applying is also a factor. A 3.8 might be a perfectly acceptable GPA for one major, but not be competitive in another.

A weighted GPA is one in which the academic rigor of the coursework impacts the total possible score. Typically, a weighted GPA is measured from 0.0 to 5.0. Unlike in a school with unweighted GPA, the total possible score for an academically challenging course in a school with weighted GPA will be higher than in a less challenging course. For instance, Honors Algebra 1 may have a total possible score of 4.5, while “regular” Algebra 1 would have a total possible score of 4.0, and AP Calculus a total score of 5.0.

Whether or not you have a weighted GPA depends entirely on your school. Some high schools use a weighted system, and others an unweighted one.

Weighted GPA is calculated by adding together the 

 point totals of your grades earned and dividing by the total number of courses taken. Let’s use the same grades from our example above: four As, two Bs and one C. But this time, let’s say that two of the A’s were from honors courses that have a maximum score of 4.5, and the C was for an AP class that has a maximum score of 5.0. Your weighted point totals would look like this:

This would bring your total to 26. Dividing that number by total classes taken (7), would give you a semester GPA of 3.71.

This example also illustrates the impact weighted classes can have on your GPA. If you were able to get that AP class up to a B, your semester GPA would go up to a 3.86. But if that C had been a “regular” class, it would bring your GPA down to a 3.57.

Weighted GPA vs Unweighted GPA: What’s the Difference?

A weighted GPA system takes into account the academic challenge of a course, while an unweighted GPA system treats all classes the same. For example, in a high school that uses an unweighted system, both a student who took only “regular” classes and a student who took all advanced classes have the same maximum potential GPA: 4.0. However, in a school with a weighted GPA system, the student who took only regular classes would still have a maximum GPA of 4.0, while the student who took advanced classes would be able to earn 

Do colleges look at the difficulty of your classes?

Yes. Universities, particularly the Ivy Leagues, want to see that you’ve challenged yourself academically. They’re also likely to look at what classes were available to you versus what you took. This is one way they’re able to fairly evaluate students from different schools. If your public high school only offers four AP classes, but you took - and did well - in all four of them, this reflects well on you. On the flip side, if your school offers 20+ AP classes and you only took four of them, this is unlikely to show the devotion to academic excellence sought by top universities.

Yes. 9th and 10th grade classes impact your cumulative GPA. They also impact what classes are available to you in grades 11 and 12, which is why choosing the right courses from the start of high school is important. That being said, colleges know that bad semesters happen. If the first semester of freshman year was a hard adjustment, but all other semesters show strong academic performance, they’re likely to take that into consideration. The Common Application also provides an “additional information” section. If there were extenuating circumstances around a bad semester - health issues, change in family circumstances, etc - you can briefly address them in this section.

Colleges look at both types of GPA, weighted and unweighted, and will look at your cumulative GPA. Admissions departments understand that not all schools do things the same, and often convert both types of GPA into their own scoring system. These systems will take into account the types of courses offered, the academic rigor of the school, the performance of the student in the courses taken, and even the maximum possible GPA at the school, among many other metrics.

Do colleges care about PE grades? Art grades?

Most colleges do not care about gym or art grades very much - and certainly not as much as they care about core course grades. That being said, classes like art and gym do count towards your overall GPA, so you’ll want to do your best in these courses to maintain a high GPA. And if you’re applying to an art program, you’ll definitely want to do well in your art courses!

GPA is not the only aspect of your college application that matters - but it’s still an important one. If you’re concerned with your academic performance, Ivy Tutors can help. We offer both subject based and test specific

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Unweighted vs Weighted GPA: Everything You Need to Know

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