Getting the best recommendation letter for college

Hey, I've just finished my junior year and getting a sense of what I'll need for my college applications. One thing I'm a bit stressed about is asking for recommendation letters...kinda makes me nervous. How do I approach my teachers about it? What should I do to ensure I get the best recommendation letters possible?

Firstly, it's natural to feel a bit anxious about asking for recommendation letters, but remember that teachers are typically quite familiar with this process and are usually more than willing to help.

Begin by identifying teachers who know you well and have a positive impression of you. Ideally, these teachers should be ones who've taught you recently (in your junior or senior year) and in subjects that are relevant to your intended major, if you have one. Some schools may have specific requirements for your recommenders - for example, tech schools may require you to ask a STEM teacher - so make sure you check the admissions sites of your top-choice schools for any guidelines, and don't hesitate to reach out to them directly with any questions you may have.

For more detailed guidance on how to determine which teachers you should ask, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-pick-which-teachers-to-ask-for-letters-of-recommendation/

After identifying the teachers, you should approach them politely and ask if they would be willing to write a recommendation letter for you. Timing is crucial because you want to give your teachers enough time to prepare a thoughtful letter. Ideally, you should ask for recommendation letters at least a month before the application deadline, but really the earlier the better - teachers are busy, and they might be writing letters for other students. Asking at the start of your senior year is not a bad idea.

Remember to explain why you're asking them specifically to write the letter – is it because you performed really well in their class? Because they teach a subject you want to major in? Because you worked with them closely on a project or extracurricular? These details can help the teacher understand your reasoning for choosing them, as well as your appreciation for the role they've played in your high school journey.

Additionally, when asking for the recommendation letter, providing your teacher with a "brag sheet" will help streamline their writing process. This is essentially a resume that outlines your academic achievements, strengths, extra curricular activities and personal interests. It will remind your teacher of your achievements and give them concrete material to work with.

Finally, be sure to express your gratitude to your teacher for writing the recommendation letter. A thank you note would be a nice gesture to acknowledge the time and effort they've put into helping you with your college applications. CollegeVine's blog also contains advice on how to thank your recommenders: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-thank-teachers-who-wrote-recommendation-letters

Good luck!