Students and parents tend to focus on grades and rigor the most during the college admission process. While those are two important ingredients in developing a great college application, the teacher & counselor letter of recommendation are where a student can really stand out (particularly in a test-optional review). The Director of Admissions at Tulane University crafted a blog post to help teachers craft great letters of recommendation and while many teachers find this information helpful, I dare say that our students should read a thing or two about what he has to say.
Students think that making good grades in a class ensures that they are going to get a good letter of recommendation, that statement is simply not true. A great letter of recommendation is personal and tells a great story about a student. There have been numerous times that a teacher has said,
" ____ earned a 99 in my class but I do not know them well enough to write a letter of recommendation for them. They came in, took their notes, aced their tests, and left my classroom. I am not sure that we ever really talked during my class. I do not know anything to share about this student other than they were quiet and smart."
Needless to say, those letters do not leave a lasting impression with admissions officers.
So, I would like to take this opportunity to challenge our students grades 9-12. Students, are you cultivating a way for your teacher to write a great letter of recommendation for you? Are you giving them ways to share about how AWESOME you are! Communication is KEY to making that happen. Share with them when you are struggling, what topics are your favorite, etc. The more you do this, the better your letters of recommendation will be for the college admission process, Young Dawgs, Work Based Learning, a summer job, etc. We want to present our students in the best light, help us do that! Information and building relationships are key to making that happen!
