Letters of Recommendation – Part 2

Last week’s column covered the basics of Letters of Recommendation:

Who do you ask?

What should they say that will really make a difference?

Where do these letter go? What are the logistics involved in getting them to each of the colleges and universities where you’ll be applying.

Today we’re talking:

Timing, i.e., WHEN to ask? as well as WHY letters of recommendation offer value to your college application and HOW do you prepare your recommender to write the best letter possible.

When?

It is best to ask teachers in the spring of junior year if they are willing and able to write a letter on your behalf. If they say “yes”, then ask them about their preferred timelines. Some teachers like to take care of the letters over the summer and others want a true summer vacation. If you have colleges with early deadlines (October 15 and November 1), make sure you provide your recommenders with at least a month’s time to write the letters.

Why?

Letters of recommendation and essays are the two most powerful subjective characteristics of a student’s application. Think about it, if two students present similar statistics (grades and test scores) and colleges need to accept just one of the students; letters of recommendation can often be the critical tipping factor. Colleges want to know how a student has contributed to the classroom, are they respectful of others’ opinions, do they reach out to help their peers, are they leaders in class discussions and group projects, etc.

How?

The more information you provide your recommender, the better the letter will be. I suggest that all students prepare an Activity Resume or a Brag Sheet that details the following items: extracurricular activities; community service involvement; leadership positions; honors, scholarship and awards; employment; internships and job shadowing experiences and what you’ve done during your last three summers. Make sure you focus on your responsibilities and accomplishments in the resume so that teachers will be able to capture some of those details in their letters.

Must do’s:

• Be certain to waive your right to view recommendation letters on your application forms. Admission officers will trust them more if you haven’t seen them.
• Send a confirmation email to your recommenders thanking them for agreeing to write your letter of recommendation and being specific about next steps.
• Send thank you notes once you know the colleges have received the letters of recommendation.

Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte. Send questions to: lee@collegeadmissionsstrategies.com; www.collegeadmissionsstrategies.com