College Admissions: How To Ask For A Letter of Recommendation

Every part of your college application contributes to the goal of showing an admissions counselor that you will succeed academically and integrate into the college community. In other words, it’s not just your academic numbers that matter; your relationships with other people and the world around you. That’s what letters of recommendation prove. They give insight into your character, problem-solving skills, and the way you engage with the world. But a bad letter of recommendation can be a major barrier, especially if you are an otherwise strong candidate. 

Think about it this way: When you have a 4.0 GPA and you’re trying to get into Harvard, you’re competing with other students who have a similar level of academic ability. The school needs a way to stratify their candidate pool, and there might not be an expedient and fair way to do that on grades and test scores alone. And you’re worth so much more than just your scores– and they know that! They need to look at their candidates holistically– as whole people, not just numbers. They need to know what their current learning community thinks about them, and that is where the letters of recommendation come into play.

Who Should Write Your Letter of Recommendation? 

Letters of recommendation can come from several sources. Many schools require two: one from a teacher and one from your guidance counselor. Guidance counselor letters give an overview of your academic trajectory and behavior, but these letters are rarely as personal as the teacher letters can be. Instead, they function more like a way to fill in the gaps about your academic career that your GPA can’t answer. Of course, if your guidance counselor knows you well, these letters can get far more personal!

However, you don’t really have much of a choice about your guidance counselor letter. You have far more control over the teacher (or teachers) you ask. 

Ask Teachers Who Like You

The most important thing to remember about recommendation letters is that they need to talk about the unquantifiable. With that in mind, you need to choose teachers who like you, not just your performance. Think carefully about who you ask; for example, let’s say you have an A in both English and Physics, but you’re much more animated in your English class. You’re considering a career in journalism, and the schools you’re targeting have strong language arts departments. In this case, the English teacher is better to ask.

Also, it can really help to choose classes where the teacher spends a lot of time learning about your process. When you turn in writing– whether that’s a creative essay or a precise lab report- your teachers understand how you think and how you learn. That gives them a lot more material for a letter. 

You also need to consider when the teacher had you. If you’re asking for a letter as a senior, and you haven’t had a class with your freshman English teacher since that first semester, that teacher isn’t a good one to ask. They don’t know how your learning process has changed, and they don’t have firsthand knowledge of your academic achievements in the past three years. They knew you when you were fourteen. A lot happens in four years, so make sure that the person you ask is someone who knows you now. 

Coaches and Elective Teachers

Subject teachers can provide deep insight into how you learn, but there is one major disadvantage to asking them: in many high schools, you only have a teacher for one year. The person who teaches Freshman English might not teach American Lit or AP Comp, and the biology teacher might not be your chemistry or physics teacher. Coaches and elective teachers, however, are more likely candidates for long-term relationships. 

Of course, this has a downside, too; they might not know your academic prowess as well. Your band teacher, even though you’ve had them for four years, might not have all that much of an idea about how you write or think on assignments. Your volleyball coach probably doesn’t know what your academic analytical skills are like. But they do see how you work with others and are likely very familiar with your character and personality, so they can provide valuable insight into who you are for the admissions team.

Alumnus Letters

Alum status also goes a long way at many schools, particularly those with strong alumni networks. If you have a teacher who’s an alumnus of a particular school, and you did well in their class and they don’t dislike you, ask them. A letter that starts with “As an alumna of this highly selective school, I have had the pleasure of having Student in my honors class…” carries a lot of weight. This strategy only works if you have a teacher who is an alumnus of the school you want to attend, but it works well for the Ivies, Ivy Plus schools, and smaller universities. 

Also, if you know an alumnus who knows you well and can speak to your character and abilities, many schools will accept a letter of support from them. You can– and should– also sign up for alumni interviews at many selective schools. Their input and support can help you stand out in a pack of high-performing students.

Community Leaders

Some schools will also accept letters of recommendation from a community leader. This is another choice that requires strategy. Let’s quickly go over the list of people you shouldn’t ask:

• Anybody who is related to you, even if they would otherwise be good candidates; the conflict of interest is just too great. 
• Friends 
• Coworkers, especially in your peer group
• Anybody who doesn’t know you well– don’t ask a random alumnus in your hometown to write you a letter!

Saying no to friends and peer coworkers might seem harsh, but there’s a reason for it: they aren’t community leaders. They can’t provide an objective explanation of your abilities or work ethic, and they don’t have the experience to provide a subjective evaluation that any college would take seriously. Now, if you ask a manager or supervisor, that’s different! Your work superiors likely have a good idea of how you work and have the experience to write a good recommendation. 

But generally, a community leader’s letter is most valuable in fairly specific circumstances. If you’ve held an interesting job or done research or an internship, a letter from that supervisor is very useful. If you have a strong presence in a community organization, a letter from that organization’s leader (or adult sponsor, if you’re the leader) will help. But if you’re considering whether to ask a teacher or community leader, the teacher is a better choice most of the time.  

Getting a Good Letter of Recommendation: The Magic Words

So now that you know who to ask for a letter, how do you ask for one? The key is that you shouldn’t simply ask for a letter of recommendation. Ask for a strong letter of recommendation, and make sure that you provide space for a graceful out if the teacher doesn’t feel comfortable with that. Letters of recommendation are either strong, or they’re bad. A neutral letter of recommendation is just as bad as a bad letter of recommendation. 

With that in mind, you should also make sure that you ask in time. Four weeks from the due date is the bare minimum; six or eight weeks is actually better. Asking more than eight weeks in 

advance is fine, but may give the letter writer too much time; you may need to schedule a reminder. 

Whether you ask in person or via email is up to you; some students feel more comfortable asking via email, while others prefer an in-person conversation. However you ask, you should make sure that your instructor has the information about when and where to send the letter in writing. Many applications today use a portal; others have an email address for recommendation submission. 

Letter Request Checklist and Script

It’s never too early to start thinking about who you’re going to ask to write your letter of recommendation. Even as a freshman or sophomore, you should naturally be building relationships and giving your academic work your all; you will find yourself naturally gravitating towards teachers. Follow those instincts and let your mentorships bloom; before you know it, you’ll have the type of relationship that leads to a strong letter of recommendation.

But how do you ask? First, make sure that you have the time for a conversation. After class or at office hours is fine; quickly in a busy hallway, not so much. You can broach the topic publicly, but when your teacher is distracted, it’s less than ideal to ask for a recommendation letter. 

Here is a script that can help you request a letter. Whether you use a script or not, make sure that your request includes a request for a strong letter with clear due dates. 

Here’s an example of how you can put a script together. Fill in the blanks, and then edit it to sound like you!

Hi [Teacher’s Name],

This is [Your Name] from [Class you’re in]. I wanted to ask if you’d be willing to write me a strong recommendation letter for my college applications. I’ve learned so much in your class, and I feel like you’ve seen how much I’ve grown in [specific skill, subject, or project].

The deadline is [date], and I can share my essay or application goals if that would help. It would really mean a lot to me to have your support.

Thanks so much!

[Your Name]

Letter Request Checklist

• Choose the right letter writer.
• Ask at least 4 weeks before the deadline; 6 is better. 
• Ask in person at office hours or after class or in an email; don’t ask casually or quickly in the hallway!
• Make sure the person agrees to write a strong recommendation. 
• Give them the due dates in writing.
• If the letters are submitted through a portal, identify them as soon as possible.
• Follow up 1-2 weeks before the deadline if they haven’t submitted yet.
• Send a sincere thank you note.

Good letters of recommendation are important, but they aren’t everything; even if your teachers love you and recommend you strongly, you still need a high GPA and good test scores. You’re the total package, and you need to show it! That’s where we can help. At Prep Expert®, we have the tools you need for the best chances of your dream school admission. From SAT and ACT prep to college admissions consulting, we can help you with every step of the college admissions process. See what our successful students have to say and find out more about how Prep Expert®’s techniques can unlock your potential!