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Procedures for Requesting a Recommendation

It will take your teacher from one to three hours to complete your letter of recommendation. In order to insure getting your letter to the college or organization on time, ask the teacher two to four weeks in advance to write the letter of recommendation. In addition, observe the following procedures:

1. Ask your teacher if he or she would prefer to write a general letter of recommendation or a specific letter of recommendation. If you are asking for a specific letter of recommendation, include the names of the college(s) or organization(s) that will receive the letter(s). Briefly explain to the teacher why you are a good candidate for admission to this college or a good candidate to receive this scholarship.

2. Give your teacher (and your counselor) a copy of your brag sheet or a copy of your resume. This should include your name, address, phone number and academic, extracurricular and community accomplishments.

3. If there is a form to use in writing the recommendation, be sure to complete your part of it, sign it if necessary, and give it to the teacher.

4. In most cases, the letter of recommendation should be returned to your counselor, so it can be mailed out with the rest of your application. If the teacher is going to mail it directly, you should include a stamped envelope addressed to the appropriate person or organization. It is school policy that you not see the completed letter of recommendation.

5. Be sure to thank your teacher in writing for the recommendation. Remember, your teachers would love to hear if you are successful in your application.
   A few notes about letters of recommendation: According to Fred Hargadon, Dean of Admission at Princeton, "Any applicant to a selective university will improve his or her chances of acceptance if he/she chooses his letter-writers carefully. The key is to have someone who knows you well write on your behalf." The letter of recommendation is intended to shed light on the "real" applicant by sharing personal observations and anecdotes that bring the student to life as a unique individual. "The letter of recommendation is without a doubt the most underutilized weapon in a applicant's arsenal. Students can't pick their interviewers; nor can most pick the high schools they attend, and hence the guidance counselors and teachers they get. But every young person has the power to pick someone in his life who will write an effective letter of recommendation." (from Paul, Getting In: Inside the College Admissions Process, 1995).