Tips For Your Letters of Recommendation

This time of year, my clients and I focus on collecting the Letters of Recommendation used for their upcoming applications. These letters offer a unique and personalized perspective on the student’s character, work ethic, and potential for success. By validating the qualities and achievements mentioned in the application, recommendations serve to enhance the student's profile and provide more context for their academic and extracurricular endeavors.

Requesting letters of recommendation from faculty, school counselors, supervisors at work, coaches, or club moderators requires thoughtful reflection, and below we will dive into the Magnolia Method for how to make these requests and from whom. I will also share my thoughts on how securing great letters of recommendation can mean the difference between a yes or a no in selective admissions.

1) Letters from your teachers or faculty

• While some colleges do not require or allow the submission of any Letters of Recommendation (the University of California system, for example), most require 1-2 Letters of Recommendation from your teachers in high school, specifically.

• My advice to my clients is simple: Take time to build relationships with your teachers, especially as you advance through high school—academic instructors for grades 11-12 are best.

• Great teacher Letters of Recommendation can articulate how you are an important and impactful contributor to the classroom culture and dynamic. They can communicate how you learn, how you support learning in a group setting, and how you face challenges and setbacks. 

Considerations & Pro Tips:

• Should it be a math and English teacher (versus two humanities teachers, for example) to diversify the areas of academic strength?
  Not necessarily. Again, I aim for the quality of the letter over anything else with my clients. 

• How and when should I ask?
  In April, I coach my clients to approach their teacher in person and say something like,

  “You have been an impactful part of my life, and I have learned so much from you. I am applying to several competitive colleges that require a Letter of Recommendation. I know it is early, but I wanted to reach out sooner rather than later to see if you might be willing to write a letter on my behalf.” 

  After saying yes (which they almost always do), the teacher can outline the next steps. Some teachers like advance notice because they write letters in the summer or have a limited number of requests they will honor - many teachers only write a limited number each year. Or, they ask to be approached again in the fall - either way, reaching out at the end of junior year is best! 

• Should it be alumni?
  If a teacher went to a university my client is applying to, we contemplate if they will be a better match for a certain school than another teacher. They can often reference how a student will integrate into campus life or will reap the benefits of a certain academic program, but not always.

• Can parents ask teachers on behalf of students?
  Under no circumstances should you ask your child’s teacher if they can write a Letter of Recommendation for your child. These requests should come directly from your child.

• What if the teacher is leaving?
  Be careful! In many cases, these letters are hard to track down or upload to the high school’s document submission system, and can cause more trouble than they're worth. If you are doing this, please have the teacher submit the Letter of Recommendation to the high school counselor before they leave.

• Pro-Tip: Buy Stationery
  This is a favor the teacher is offering! A handwritten note or a small gift is very much appreciated after the Letter of Recommendation is sent. Handwritten notes will be a necessary part of this process, and being prepared now will unburden you during the active application process. 

• Pro-Tip: Resume Red Flag
  If a teacher asks for your resume (which they often do), consider this a red flag! Why should your teacher talk about your participation in the Mock Trial UNLESS they are also your team’s moderator? During a conference at the University of Richmond a few years ago, a representative shared that the best Letters of Recommendation are as though a drone occasionally flew over the student and revealed what it observed - a few incredible snapshots from the classroom that can be supported by meaningful anecdotal references. 

2) secondary school report

A Letter of Recommendation from your counselor, often called a Secondary School Report, can be the most impactful letter of all.

Your counselor should define the school community and any special programs offered, discuss how you impact the larger community, and share what you choose to engage in. Who are you in the school environment? How has your involvement at school been meaningful to you and others? What will your legacy be?

Additionally, they can reveal what classes might have not been available to you due to a scheduling conflict or which classes you elected to take despite how challenging they are. Did you fight to drop the requirement for a study hall so you could double up in science? Did a teacher leave mid-semester, leaving you with a series of inconsistent substitutes for the year in a certain class? These are things college counselors can include to provide better context around your high school career.

Considerations & Pro-Tips:

• What should my counselor know about me?
  It’s super important that they know everything you are doing and what you value most. Give them your resume! Some college counselors have hundreds of students in their caseload. Don’t leave anything to chance and speak up for yourself!

• What about personal details outside of school?
  This is an appropriate place to describe any challenges you overcame in high school - a death in your immediate family, a divorce, or anything that significantly impacted your learning experience. For example, if a client had poor grades in 9th and 10th due to a family crisis, but rebounded in 11th, the Secondary School Report is a great place to share this information. 

  • At a meeting with the Dean of Admissions at University of Richmond, Gil Villanueva, he emphasized the following: 

    • The role of the counselor letter of recommendation is critically important, especially at small, independent high schools. 

    • Character and fit with the university should be addressed.

    • The grading scale should be very clear on the high school profile. 

• Pro-Tip: Concise Compassion

  While important to include, I strongly recommend that you do not let your counselor go on and on about your learning differences in this letter. This space is very limited, and while overcoming learning challenges is important to feel proud of, this letter is not the appropriate place to go into great detail. Focus on strengths!

• This article is older (2018), but the information is still really important and relevant

  This explores what colleges expect from your counselor's Letter of Recommendation. My clients and I work diligently every summer to ensure the counselor has all the necessary information to provide an illuminating and impactful Secondary School Report and Letter of Recommendation.

3) Supplemental Letters of Recommendation

Some colleges will allow additional letters of support from supplemental sources like a coach, an employer, or a research supervisor. These can be the secret to a “yes” in a competitive applicant pool - just one little bit of additional information that can nudge a client into the admitted pile!

I make sure my clients’ areas of impact outside of school further define their areas of expertise and secure a Letter of Recommendation from someone who has observed these contributions firsthand. I love figuring out which person in their network can provide an amazing letter of support!

• Should it be alumni?
  Sometimes it can be distracting and irrelevant, and sometimes people of enormous influence can sway admissions. Is their name on the library? Were they a former president of the United States? Then ok, I would include that letter. But having Aunt Joan who was a C student at Penn in the 1980s write a letter will build false hope in the applicant, water down an application, and waste time.

• Pro-Tip: Different Deeds
  Secure letters from people who observe different strengths. The more information about you that colleges receive in the competitive landscape, the better. A representative at Cornell once said they rarely admit anyone with multiple, albeit strong, recommendations that say the same thing. This is not an effort to penalize the student but instead, they learn so much more about an applicant with diverse perspectives represented by their letters.

Final pro-tip: utilize tools

Want to know the weight Letters of Recommendation hold? Read the Common Data Set (CDS). This is the most underutilized tool in my work, and is available on every college’s website!

You can read exactly how important Letters of Recommendation are to each college to which you are applying. For example, you can see on page 10 of Tulane’s CDS how much they weigh recommendations versus other variables like class rank.

Some colleges will eclipse $100,000 for a year of undergraduate education as soon as next year. Vanderbilt and USC are two that are topping the list!

The growing cost of college admission amidst the incredible demand for acceptance into these selective universities shouldn’t surprise you. But it begs the question - what are you willing to invest? This article is a great way to stimulate a robust conversation with your partner or family before choosing a roadmap.

Across all stages of my available roadmaps, I strive to empower students to present their best selves as they navigate the admissions process. Let’s make a lasting impression on your dream college together!

Whether you’re a student, parent, teacher, or advisor—you recognize the tremendous benefit of higher education and its impact on shaping one’s future. And no matter your role within this incredibly defining decision-making process, it can be a stressful time for you.

I’m here to be your advisor, organizer, tutor, cheerleader, friend, and compass through this journey. I’ve helped over 2,000 students locate and gain acceptance to the college of their dreams, and I’m so excited to help you, too.

Let’s get to work!

-Allie Pierson, Founder