RECOMMENDATIONS

TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Many colleges will ask that you have a teacher write a letter of reference on your behalf.  Some ask for more than one teacher recommendation, and some even specify teachers of specific subjects.  You should give careful consideration to your selection of the teachers you will ask to write letters for you.  The teachers you choose should know you well--both in class and out.  Teachers from junior and senior year are usually preferred, as are teachers of "core" academic subjects like math, English, history, and science.  Choose a teacher about whom you feel confident writing about you.  If you indicate a particular major of field of interest on your application, you should have letters which support that interest. For example, if you are interested in studying engineering, the college will look for a letter from a science or math teacher.  If you interested in a pre-law program, it would make sense to have letters from English and social studies teachers.

If you find that none of the colleges to which you are applying require a teacher recommendation, you might still consider having at least one teacher write on your behalf.  Most students will have two teacher letters sent to each of their colleges-- if one college requires two letters, it is not too much to ask both teachers to send their letters to each of your schools, even if some ask for only one or none at all-- provided you have followed the steps for requesting letters.  You should NOT mix and match teachers with your different colleges-- choose two teachers and have them write for each of your schools.

Once you have selected your teachers, you must ask them if they will write letters for you.  Remember that teachers take this responsibility very seriously, and that they spend a considerable amount of time and effort preparing thoughtful and well-written recommendations for their students.  You must give your teachers ample time to accomplish this task.  If the teacher agrees to write a letter for you, you should offer to meet with him or her to answer any questions he or she might have for you.   

Most schools which require letters will ask that the teacher also complete a teacher evaluation form.  Before you give it to the teacher, be certain that you have provided all the necessary information requested at the top of the form, including your signature.  In most cases, the teacher will not give the form or the letter back to you, but will mail them directly to the college(s) to which you are applying.  Along with any college forms and a stamped, addressed envelope for each of the schools to which you are applying.

Never ask a teacher to write a recommendation for you when there is not ample time to do so properly.  Also, never ask a teacher to write a letter for you via a note left in the teacher's box or on the teacher's desk.  After all of your letters have been written, thank the teachers who have written for you.  When you get responses from the schools in the spring, let the teachers who have written for you know what the decisions are.


ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Many students ask about whether or not they should get extra letters of recommendation to support their application to a particular school.  Such letters might be from alumni of that college or friends of the family in prominent positions.  The rule of thumb is this:  letters from people who do not know you well as a person, and specifically, as a student, are not helpful .  In fact, letters from the President of a country, a bishop, wealthy business people, and so on, sometimes put off the people reading the application and could work against you.  IF you think an additional letter or two might be helpful to your application, you might think of asking a coach, an employer, an advisor, even a friend.  Do not include more than one or two, however.  The people writing them should send such letters directly to the Admission Office.

THE SCHOOL REPORT/ COUNSELOR RECOMMENDATION

With some applications sent to a college, you will also need a letter of recommendation on your behalf.  Be certain that you have taken enough time to talk with the person to whom you have decided to have write your letter of recommendation so that he or she can write a specific, comprehensive, and informed letter about you. 

Many colleges ask that you have your counselor complete and submit a Counselor Report Form or a Secondary School Report .  Before submitting these forms to the counselor, be sure that you have provided any biographical information requested at the top of the form.  If a school does not require any form on your behalf, it will still want a copy of your transcript.  You must request in the WCHS office to have your transcripts sent to the necessary colleges.

Some schools ask the student to have his counselor provide an appraisal directly on the student's application form.  For these applications, you should complete all that you have to complete and submit the entire application to the counselor,

December and January get very busy times.  While you must be attentive to the application deadlines of the schools to which you are applying, you must also be aware of the internal deadlines set by the office since those occur earlier than those of the colleges .  Determine your earliest application deadline and observe the office deadlines on the following page to be sure your application materials are sent and reach the colleges on time.