With the exception of a few colleges (including the UC-system), institutions require letters of recommendation to learn more about your academic journey, work ethics, and personal character. Most colleges request two academic recommendations and one or more non-academic recommendations. (Check individual universities for details.) Before you stress, we’re here to tell you the process is more approachable than you think.
Below are some essential steps to take:
1. Participate in class.
In the span of a few days, you can quickly spot students who take the extra step to interact in class. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to engage with the teacher and your peers. There are a variety of ways to show you truly care about the class: raising your hand, volunteering to share answers, leading group projects, completing extra credit assignments, asking thoughtful questions, and more. Of course, don’t overdo it or fake it. Instead, show your enthusiasm to learn.
Below are some essential steps to take:
1. Participate in class.
In the span of a few days, you can quickly spot students who take the extra step to interact in class. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to engage with the teacher and your peers. There are a variety of ways to show you truly care about the class: raising your hand, volunteering to share answers, leading group projects, completing extra credit assignments, asking thoughtful questions, and more. Of course, don’t overdo it or fake it. Instead, show your enthusiasm to learn.
2. Build a personal relationship.
You need to invest the time and effort to not only learn more about your teachers personally, but also to share about who you are as a person. Visit your teachers during lunch breaks, office hours, or even after school and have casual conversations. After all, naturally showing who you are not only as a student in class, but also as an individual with goals, hobbies, and personality will allow your professor to accurately present who you are to the colleges.
3. Ask the “right” teachers.
Usually, students request their sophomore and junior teachers to write recommendations. Freshman year teachers haven’t taught you in a while and senior year teachers have only met you fairly recently. However, the most crucial point to remember is asking teachers who can write the most about who you are both inside and outside of class. Do not only select teachers based on the grade you received, but judge holistically to determine who would genuinely enjoy recommending you to the admissions officers. Try placing yourself in their shoes. Who knows you best? Who supports you most?
You need to invest the time and effort to not only learn more about your teachers personally, but also to share about who you are as a person. Visit your teachers during lunch breaks, office hours, or even after school and have casual conversations. After all, naturally showing who you are not only as a student in class, but also as an individual with goals, hobbies, and personality will allow your professor to accurately present who you are to the colleges.
3. Ask the “right” teachers.
Usually, students request their sophomore and junior teachers to write recommendations. Freshman year teachers haven’t taught you in a while and senior year teachers have only met you fairly recently. However, the most crucial point to remember is asking teachers who can write the most about who you are both inside and outside of class. Do not only select teachers based on the grade you received, but judge holistically to determine who would genuinely enjoy recommending you to the admissions officers. Try placing yourself in their shoes. Who knows you best? Who supports you most?
4. Be organized and timely.
For everyone, the college application process can be very overwhelming. Reduce your stress through organization. Make your own table or excel sheet of all college application deadlines and recommendation instructions. Ask teachers EARLY in person. Unless they specifically instruct you to do otherwise, find the best time to visit and ask them for a recommendation face-to-face. In many cases, teachers have a maximum number of letters they are willing to write. The sooner you ask them, the more likely they are to happily support you.
5. Be humble and appreciative.
Regardless of how great your relationship is with your teachers, they are doing a huge favor for you to write these recommendation letters. If they ask you to fill out a “request form”, invest effort into completing it. Ask teachers humbly and follow their instructions thoroughly. Additionally, have multiple teachers in mind in case anyone is unable to write the recommendation. Teachers may refuse to write a letter for you, because they believe someone else can do a better job recommending you. Last but not least, write a meaningful card and/or give a small gift to your recommenders as a token of your appreciation!
For everyone, the college application process can be very overwhelming. Reduce your stress through organization. Make your own table or excel sheet of all college application deadlines and recommendation instructions. Ask teachers EARLY in person. Unless they specifically instruct you to do otherwise, find the best time to visit and ask them for a recommendation face-to-face. In many cases, teachers have a maximum number of letters they are willing to write. The sooner you ask them, the more likely they are to happily support you.
5. Be humble and appreciative.
Regardless of how great your relationship is with your teachers, they are doing a huge favor for you to write these recommendation letters. If they ask you to fill out a “request form”, invest effort into completing it. Ask teachers humbly and follow their instructions thoroughly. Additionally, have multiple teachers in mind in case anyone is unable to write the recommendation. Teachers may refuse to write a letter for you, because they believe someone else can do a better job recommending you. Last but not least, write a meaningful card and/or give a small gift to your recommenders as a token of your appreciation!
To avoid frantic last-minute stress, plan several months ahead! If you feel that it is “too late” to ask a teacher at any point, give it a try anyway. There are teachers who would love to assist you in your endeavors. You just have to reach out to them!
We hope you enjoyed this article. For more content on how to find your academic success, check out some of our articles here on StarryScholar. If you have any questions/comments, feel free to leave them in our “Community Discussion” tab, or email us at @[email protected]! Remember, you got this ☆
We hope you enjoyed this article. For more content on how to find your academic success, check out some of our articles here on StarryScholar. If you have any questions/comments, feel free to leave them in our “Community Discussion” tab, or email us at @[email protected]! Remember, you got this ☆