So you’ve got your essays polished, test scores ready, and your Activity List perfected. Now comes the Letter of Recommendation!
Understanding College Recommendation Letters
Letters of Recommendation (LoR) are more than just another thing to tick off the list. They’re your chance to give admissions officers insights into who you are from an external perspective. Essentially, they’re personal endorsements from the people who know your character best.
Letters of recommendation can:
College Recommendation Letter Tips: How to Get the Best Recommendations
🏫Choose the Right Teachers for Your Recommendation Letters
Selecting the right recommenders is crucial for strong college recommendation letters. Here’s how to choose:
⏰Timing Your Recommendation Letter Requests
When asking for college recommendation letters, timing is everything:
Creating an Effective Brag Sheet for College Recommendations 🌟
So, what’s a brag sheet anyway? Picture your favorite teacher sitting down to write your recommendation. They know you’re great, but they teach hundreds of students. How can you make them remember you?
That’s where your brag sheet comes in. Not a dry list of achievements, but the real story of your high school adventure. A well-crafted brag sheet is essential for helping teachers write strong recommendation letters. Here’s how to structure yours:
Getting Started
First, grab a notebook. Jot down memories as they come to you:
Nice work! Now that you have some ideas, here’s a solid template to follow for your brag sheet:
1. Introduction:
Your name, grade, and a reminder of the classes you’ve taken with the teacher.
2. Academic Achievements:
Standout grades, tough courses you’ve tackled, academic awards.
3. Extracurricular Activities:
Clubs, sports teams, volunteer work, part-time jobs, leadership roles—they may not know everything about you, so show them!
3. Personal Qualities:
Remember freshman you? Compare that person to who you are now:
Remember freshman you? Compare that person to who you are now:
Show how you’ve grown throughout the years!
Goals and Aspirations:
Brag Sheet Resources for Strong College Recommendation Letters 📚
When you look at samples of brag sheets online, you will find them to look more like a form. For example here, here’s the official Common App Brag Sheet template.
There’s a reason for this. The reason being that it is a very easy way for teachers to see the data they need in order to fill out their evaluation letter. Here is what they will be asked on the CommonApp for instance.
As you can see, if you send them the standard brag sheet, it will allow them to fill out this form quickly and easily. By following the tips above, you can create a brag sheet that will help your recommenders write a letter that will impress the admissions committee.
Tips for a Smooth Recommendation Letter Process
To ensure you get the strongest possible college recommendation letters:
Remember, your teachers are on your side and want to see you succeed. By giving them a well-crafted brag sheet, you’re making it easier for them to highlight all the things that make you awesome. It’s a win-win!
Next Steps for Getting Your College Recommendation Letters
1. Start identifying potential teachers for your recommendation letters
2. Create your personalized brag sheet using our guidelines
3. Schedule in-person meetings to make your requests.
4. Track deadlines and follow up appropriately
2. Create your personalized brag sheet using our guidelines
3. Schedule in-person meetings to make your requests.
4. Track deadlines and follow up appropriately
Remember, strong college recommendation letters can make your application shine. By following these guidelines and preparing thoroughly, you’re setting yourself up for success in the college application process.
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