Recommendations

Many colleges today require at least one recommendation letter, and as more and more students apply to colleges, these letters are often being given more weight in the admissions process. So, what types of recommendations will help you the most, and how can you assist in making those the best letters possible?
When you bring me your secondary school report form from your applications, there is usually a place for me to write a counselor’s recommendation. Since I haven’t had most of you in class, this can often be a difficult process for me; you can help me by including a resume with your form. The resume is a listing of all the things that might help me to flesh out your basic academic record: work and volunteer experience and how you think those experiences have helped you to grow and mature, interests, career goals, personal characteristics that you think make you stand out from the crowd, or other information that can help me to get your personality on paper. My recommendation is a more general, overall type of letter, so these details can make a big difference in the letter.
Teacher’s recommendations are different, as they are more focused on your academic personality and performance in their classroom. When you give the teacher the recommendation form, it would help them if they had a list of details to jog their memory. What classes did you take from the teacher? What was your favorite topic, project or activity? Remind them of a particular paper or activity that you did well on, and include details that will help them to describe your abilities and participation in a classroom.
If you are in the earlier high school years, think ahead. Make sure your classroom participation is positive, providing lots of material for a teacher to discuss. Cultivate good relationships with your teachers.
Most important—do not wait until the last second to ask a teacher to write a letter. They have a lot of grading and class preparation to do, as well as a life outside of school, and they might not be interested in dropping everything to deal with your crisis. Give them at least 2 weeks advance notice, provide the materials they need, and make sure to thank them, preferably in writing.

Website of the week: check out http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/. This is the official website of the National Center for Educational Statistics, with all kinds of handy information on different schools.