Securing Recommendations: Reaching Out to Recommendation Writers

One of the most awkward parts of the college application process is getting your hands on suitable letters of recommendations for those applications. Alongside making your decisions on which schools to apply to and thinking over things like your major and living situation, you have to essentially ask people in your personal and professional life to write an advertisement where the product is you! 

It can be an odd and difficult situation to navigate. What people do you have the right type of relationship with to ask for a college recommendation letter? So, if you’re experiencing any difficulties with how to get a recommendation and from who, don't worry! We have some advice for you on just that topic. 

The most common source for high school students to get recommendations from is their teachers. But which teachers should you consider the most? The two most important factors to keep in mind when you’re going over the list of teachers you potentially want to ask :how recently you’ve taken a class of theirs and how well they know you.

Let’s get the more self-explanatory one out of the way first. The more recently you’ve shown your work ethic and positive qualities to a teacher the easier the time they’ll have translating that into a recommendation. You’ll not only ensure yourself a higher grade but you’ll reap the benefits of standing out in the eyes of your teacher. It’s just one more reason you should be diligent in your studies while in high school.  

The second, and likely more important factor, is your personal relationship with the teacher or teachers you’re asking for a recommendation. Everyone has the one teacher that looks out for them in highschool, the one that looks out for you and maybe even listens to your problems outside of what’s going on in the classroom. Teachers like getting the possibility to mentor students in whom they see academic and personal promise, it’s part of why they do the job they do. If you’re lucky enough to have a mentor, or something similar, don’t hesitate in choosing them for getting a recommendation.

There are some other factors in asking for a letter of recommendation that have to do with courtesy and good form. You should make sure the person you ask has the correct information and criteria for writing their recommendation and, most importantly, you have to ensure they have a good amount of time to get the letter back to you in time for submission. People are busy and they're doing you a favor in this case, give them a good amount of cushion. Finally, it’s considered polite to write a brief but sincere thank you letter to anyone who writes you a recommendation, if they’re your teacher, coworker or even personal relationship. 

You’ve just learned some advice for securing a recommendation. If you’d like to learn further about navigating this and other decisions in your application process, we’re here to help.