Most colleges require that you submit letters of recommendation as part of your application.
The purpose of the letter is to get to know you on a personal level and vouch for your character and achievements. If you make use of a single platform application service, like Common App, the entire process of requesting and uploading your recommendations will happen through the platform. We will look at that in detail in the next phase.
What Letters To Get
Every school has a different number of optional and/or required letters of recommendation. Typically, there are somewhere between two to three, with two of these being more professional in nature and talking about your work ethic, while one is more personal in nature. Ensure that at least one of your “professional” letters of recommendation are from a teacher.
When To Ask
During the springtime of your junior year, around May, identify who you want to ask for these recommendations and speak to them in person before the summer. That way, they have some time to write the letter and you get in the front of the line of all the other students who are also going to be asking for letters going into fall. Remember, ideally you want to apply for those early action deadlines and you don’t want to miss it because you’re waiting for a letter.
Who To Approach
Choose two or three people who know you well and would be able to testify about some part of your character.
This could be:
- A teacher who could speak to your approach to academic achievement. Choose a teacher that you get along with well.
- A sport, culture or extramural coach e.g.; dance, art, robotics, piano or sports coach.
- A manager, senior co-worker or employer if you have a part-time job.
- A leader at church, or any other volunteer group where you are involved.
How To Ask
Even though the online application system allows you to request a letter of recommendation, we recommend asking the person/s in-person before you send the request. Set aside time to approach this person, explain why you selected them, and ask if they would be willing to write a letter of recommendation for you, then explain how the process will work. This is much better than them receiving an electronic request out of nowhere and not expecting it.
