How to Plan for Teachers Letters of Recommendation
Elton Lin
Colleges place a lot of importance on college application essays, using them to get a better sense of an applicant’s perspective and passions. But when it comes to thoroughly and holistically evaluating an applicant, colleges also value hearing what others have to say about the student in question, and so admissions boards turn to teacher recommendation letters. Good letters of recommendation can give colleges insight into the applicant from the teachers’ point of view, revealing personal or academic qualities about the student that grades don’t cover. These letters provide nuance and additional context to reinforce what’s already in the application and vouch for an applicant’s character both as a student and as a human being.
Because of this, it’s fairly standard for colleges to request two or even three letters of recommendation from each applicant. This is all well and good for the colleges, but for students, the prospect of gathering those letters of recommendation can be intimidating. Don’t wait until senior year to figure out your recommendation letters—high school students can (and should) start planning for teacher recommendation letters as early as sophomore year! Here are some tips:
Figure out which teachers you’d want to write your recommendation letters. While this isn't a set-in-stone rule, and while some colleges have their own guidelines for who ought to be writing your letters, it is generally smart to have at least one of two of your recommenders be those who teach a subject you're planning to pursue in some way in college (e.g. a possible major or extracurriculars). If you're interested in computer science or English, for example, then it's a good idea to set your sights on teachers of those respective subjects, as they can provide insight into your relationship with your preferred subject.
It's also good to consider teachers who you are engaged with outside of the classroom, such as a supervisor for a club you're heavily involved in or the coach for your sports team. Teachers who see you in these extracurricular settings are privy to your more personal, non-academic qualities, such as your engagement with your passions, potential leadership skills, and ability to work with a team, to name just a few.
Just be careful not to double-up! Colleges aren't particularly interested in what two math teachers have to say about a student's performance in their calculus classes—one math teacher will suffice—and your other recommendation letters can then speak from different perspectives.
Speak up in class. Participation is key, even more so if you attend a high school with a large student body. Teachers are much more likely to remember students who answer questions or otherwise participate in class, and they're more likely to pay more attention to these students in a favorable light for the remainder of the school year. You might be a high-achieving student with consistently good grades, and perhaps your teacher will remember your name because of it, but a teacher who only knows you from your exams and essays is not going to provide information to colleges that is very different from what your transcript already shows. By participating in class, you show teachers the interactive, human side of your academic engagement, which is what colleges want to know more about through recommendation letters.
Ask for help. Along a similar train of thought, ask your teachers for help, whether this be for assignments, course clarification, or even academic advice. Don't be afraid to attend office hours and seek extra help. This doesn't reflect poorly on you as a student—asking for help actually shows teachers that you're putting effort into their class and are proactive in your learning. Additionally, going to office hours, dropping into teachers' classrooms during breaks (provided they're not busy, of course!), or asking a coach for advice after practice provides a space for you to interact with your teacher in a one-on-one context. This means the teacher can get a better sense of you as an individual, and there is also a greater chance of them remembering you among a mass of students. (And recommendation letters aside, getting help from teachers is just better for your understanding of the material! If a teacher has made themselves an available resource, use that resource—don't feel as if you need to figure everything out on your own.)
Get to know your teacher. Personal understanding is mutual: the best way for your teacher to get to know you is for you to get to know your teacher. Striking up a conversation with them outside of an academic topic goes a long way in forging a more personal, one-on-one connection. Maybe this manifests in short exchanges a few minutes before class starts, or in casual discussions when you pass your teacher in the hallway during breaks. This can help establish a connection between you and your teacher that will survive past the one year of class you have with them. That way, when your senior year comes around and the two of you are still on good terms, your teacher doesn't have to scrounge up memories from a year or two prior in order to write you a thoughtful recommendation letter.
Be genuine. This is our last tip, but definitely not the least. Being genuine encompasses a lot of things—be yourself, for one. You want teachers to have an honest, real perception of you as a student and a human being. There is no ideal representation of a student that a recommendation letter can give, so don't force yourself to be someone you're not just to get your teacher to write a good recommendation letter about you. Not only will this be an easy facade to mess up, but it also prevents teachers from writing recommendations that actually get to the heart of who you are as a growing student.
Also, don't treat your teachers like means to an end. It's tiring and destructive to force a good relationship with a teacher you don't particularly like just because you think they would be a great addition to your college application and teacher recommendation pool. People can usually tell something's off if you're pretending to like them, and this is no different for teachers. Forge a connection with a teacher you respect or with whom you share genuine interests. Let teachers you truly appreciate see your strengths, your personality, and your motivations, and colleges will get a more informed, valuable insight about you as a student because of it.
When it comes to preparing for teacher recommendation letters, the key is to focus on connection and engagement with the teachers and faculty in question, even as early as sophomore year. Keep these tips in mind as you plan!