Hi, Reader!

A strong recommendation letter doesn’t just happen — it’s the result of thoughtful preparation. And I think I’m a pretty good guide for that journey.

So let’s take those first steps together, shall we?

If you are (or you have) a high school junior, now is the time to start thinking about who you’re going to ask for your letters of recommendation. Application season will be here before you know it, and the last thing you want to be doing this summer is panicking about not having your recommendation letters lined up.

Students: Here’s my quick take on how you can set yourself up for success:

• Choose the Right Teachers. Ideally, you want to ask teachers who know you well and who like you. (Bonus points if you’ve shown growth in their class.) I’d suggest asking one teacher who knows you well in an academic subject relevant to your interests (e.g., business, robotics) and two core-subject teachers (e.g., history, English). If you’re applying to UT-Austin, they’re requesting letters of recommendation outside of academics, so consider asking coaches, bosses, organization leaders, etc., for your UT recommendations.
• Ask Early. Spring of junior year is the best time to ask — before teachers get swamped with requests.
• Provide a “Brag Sheet” or a Resume. Help your teacher write a strong letter by sharing your strengths, memorable class moments, and future goals. Don’t have a resume yet? Sign up for my FREE 5-day email mini-course on writing your resume.​
• Be Gracious. A handwritten thank-you note (or even a small token of appreciation) goes a long way in showing gratitude. Teachers are busy, busy folks, and it takes time to write a great letter of recommendation. Expressing your thanks either after they say “yes” or after they write your letter will be so meaningful to them, guaranteed.
• Get a Copy for Scholarships. Some teachers will share their letters of recommendation with you so you can use them when applying to scholarships. If they don’t, you might ask them for a version you can have on hand in case you need it for scholarships or other applications (e.g., internships).
• Waive Your FERPA Right. My blog goes into more detail on this, but when you include a letter of recommendation into your application, you’ll want to waive your FERPA right. It sounds intimidating, but waiving this right signals to colleges that the letter is an honest assessment, which gives it more weight. (Sometimes the letters teachers upload into the Common Application are the same letter they give you for scholarships, but don’t worry. Even if you see the letter, you’ll still want to waive your right.)

Just following these few simple steps will help ensure you’ve got glowing letters of recommendation lined up and that you don’t have to stress out about them this summer after school lets out.

I go into more detail on how to get awesome letters of recommendation in this blog — check it out!

I’d love to hear: Who are you planning to ask to write your recommendation letters?

Happy Writing!

Julia

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