College Applications and Letters of Recommendation

Even if you don’t yet have your college list finalized, chances are you will need to have secured several letters of recommendation before applications even open. If you’re not sure how, who, or when you should ask for a letter of recommendation, this article is for you. 

Who should I ask for a letter from?

You might have heard rumors about teachers in your school who write the best letters of recommendation, and you may have heard that some teachers at your school will offer a more prestigious stamp of approval than others. However, that’s not necessarily what should drive your decision. 

The first question to ask yourself is this: what teachers have you worked with junior year, and whose class do I perform well in? You’re not applying as a freshman; you’re applying as a senior, and you’re a very different person than you were two years ago or even last year.

Secondly, which teacher knows you best? Maybe you had a teacher in junior year who also coached your softball team or was the sponsor for a club in your specific field of interest. That’s the teacher who will know you both inside and outside the classroom. Maybe you took a teacher as a freshman or sophomore, and you’re taking them again as a junior or senior. That teacher has watched you grow into the person you are now. 

Another option could be a teacher who you have made a notable connection with in other ways. For example, maybe you struggled with AP Lang initially, and you made a concerted effort to meet with your teacher frequently to check that your assignments demonstrated your willingness to succeed. Or, maybe you loved AP US History and often met with your teacher to discuss the content further because it was exciting to you. Whatever the case, you want to think about a teacher who has a lot of unique things to say about what you did in their class so they can back up their case that you’re a bright, intellectually curious person. 

Can I ask for letters from teachers who taught me in any subject, or only Core Courses?
This will depend entirely on the schools to which you are applying. For example, MIT requires two letters of recommendation, and they strongly encourage students to get one from a math or science teacher and another from a humanities, social science, or languages teacher. If you have a preliminary school list, go through it and check the requirements for each school. If you’re allowed or required to have more than two, the third one might come from a teacher outside of the core curriculum. In some cases, the college requires only one letter of recommendation from a core subject teacher and the second can be from a teacher of your choice. Think about the work you did in each course and the major you’re applying for when choosing the second teacher. 

Is there anyone else I should consider aside from teachers?

If you’re allowed to submit more than two letters of recommendation, or if one letter does not have to be from a teacher, you can think about another adult you trust who has seen you at your very best. Maybe you’ve secured a research internship for the summer after junior year—consider asking the researcher or professor you’ll be working with for a letter. In this case, you want to be certain you have already secured two teacher recommendations. Though it’s rare for someone to decline writing a letter of recommendation, it’s not impossible.

You can also consider asking your employer if you have a part-time job, especially if you’ve worked there for over a year. This employer might have some insight into your professionalism, or other character traits that your teachers have not seen. You might also ask a coach, youth group leader, or school club sponsor. Think about which adults in your life—aside from your parents—know you well. 

If you are a homeschooled student, your letters of recommendation are even more crucial. Hopefully, you’ll see this before the end of junior year, but make sure you take a college course at some point in high school so that you have someone to write you a letter of recommendation that speaks to what you are like in a classroom setting. 

When should I ask for letters of recommendation?

The last quarter or trimester of your junior year is the best time to ask for letters of recommendation from a teacher. April or May are often optimal since it’s not too early that they haven’t yet begun tracking the number of recommendation letters they will write. If you know a lot of other students will ask the same teacher for letters of recommendation, you should ask in April or sooner. Some teachers have caps for how many letters they are willing to write for students. 

When asking a non-teacher for a letter, such as an internship advisor, consider asking early. If your summer internship ends in September, ask them in August. Do not wait until the last minute—it takes time to write these letters thoughtfully, and asking last minute suggests to your recommender that you do not value their time. 

How should I ask for letters of recommendation?

You should always ask for letters of recommendation in person, when possible. Wait until the end of class or get to class early and ask your teacher if they would be willing to write you a letter. Prepare your wording! You should start by telling them how much you have enjoyed their class, and use this honest praise as a transition into why their recommendation would mean a lot to you.  

After the teacher or other recommender agrees to write you a letter, follow up with them by email. You can thank them for agreeing to write the letter for you in this email. Your email should also ask them about the timeline they prefer. You can ask them when they need your list of schools and deadlines, and you can attach your resume to the email if you think they might need it for further context. 

One last thing…

Don’t forget: teachers are human beings. They are invested in your education and success, so of course they are happy to write these letters. However, that doesn’t mean these letters don’t take time to write. When I taught college courses, there was a joke among professors that the Friday after Thanksgiving was National Writing Letters of Recommendation Day. Your teacher is going to sing your praises, and a great recommendation letter could be the final piece of your application that gets you into the college of your dreams. You should consider showing them a token of appreciation: flowers, a card, or even some baked goods are a nice way of thanking them for the work they put into helping you succeed.