The Best Letters of Recommendation

Today I want to talk to juniors about college recommendation letters. 

Most colleges ask for three letters: one is going to come from your guidance counselor, and the other two can come technically from whomever you want, but at least one, if not both of those should come from teachers. The best teachers to ask are people who like you, people who give you good grades, and people who are good writers. 

Most importantly, they should be people who know you from more than one setting if possible: either a teacher who’s had you for multiple years and can talk about how you’ve developed over time, or a teacher who’s also your coach, your club advisor, your supervisor for community service, or your teacher for more than one subject, and can talk about who you are in a more holistic way than just in class.

Reach out to them now; don’t wait until senior year. And when you do, shoot them an email that lets them know specifically why you’re asking them, because that gives you a chance to sprinkle in some of the things you hope they’ll write about in your letter. 

If you have more questions about letters of recommendation, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 732-556-8220. We’re here to help.