Teacher Recommendation Letters
The primary purpose of a teacher's letter of recommendation is to demonstrate to admissions officers how a particular applicant's presence in the classroom has influenced the educational and social experiences of their peers. The secondary purpose is to provide an expert evaluation of how the student thinks and engages with academic topics, as well as to externally corroborate the values and major life goals (often referred to as their "hook" or "spike") the student will present in their admissions essays. In other words, a letter of recommendation from a teacher serves as a watermark, validating from a trusted source that the applicant is exactly who they portray themselves to be in the remainder of their application.
Teachers can effectively convey a student's qualities by providing specific examples. These might include how the student works collaboratively with peers in a positive, productive manner; how they are consistently willing to help fellow students understand difficult concepts; how they ask thoughtful questions that stimulate class discussion and critical thinking; how they engage with material beyond the syllabus; and meaningful anecdotes about one-on-one discussions with the teacher after class.
Ideally, the letter of recommendation should be provided by a teacher from an applicant's junior year. The reason is that a junior year teacher has known the applicant for a presumably decent period of time and has interacted with them during a phase of life that relatively well approximates the type of person they'll be in college. Getting a recommendation letter from a sophomore or freshman year teacher would only be advisable if they spent significant time with you outside of class and can testify in detail about the person you are now, the person who is currently applying to college. Colleges generally prefer recent information about applicants, as opposed to insights from freshman or sophomore year. This is because teenagers develop rapidly during high school—each year they are functionally different from who they were the previous year. Therefore, hearing about class participation during freshman or sophomore year won't provide much practical information about what type of student you'll be on their campus. For this reason, getting a letter of recommendation from a senior year teacher is still preferable to one from a sophomore year teacher who hasn't interacted with you much since you were in their class.
One common mistake students make when requesting recommendation letters is to ask only the teachers who gave them their highest grades in junior year. For students who are not straight-A students, this approach is not always optimal. All else being equal, a letter from a teacher who gave you a B will be more impactful than one who gave you an A.
First, admissions officers appreciate the maturity and confidence demonstrated by a student who requests a recommendation from a teacher who may have been somewhat critical of their academic performance. Second, if such a teacher agrees to write your letter, it’s likely because they recognize unique qualities in you that are not fully captured by grades alone, incentivizing them to write a richer, more detailed letter. In contrast, a letter from a teacher who gave you an A—simply reiterating your intelligence, high exam scores, and timely homework submissions—will not reveal much beyond what admissions officers can already infer from your transcript.
To maximize your chances of getting an excellent letter of recommendation, you should consistently ask questions in class, engage with your fellow students, strive to be a good team player, stay after class to discuss the lesson or life in general with your teachers, attend their tutoring sessions (even when you don't need help), request materials that go beyond the syllabus, and perhaps even remember their birthdays and organize a class surprise party. If you put in the effort to stand out, you'll be rewarded with strong letters, even if your grades aren't a perfect A, and this will significantly help you during the college admissions process.
If you have any questions about the college admissions process or need help filling out forms that your teachers provided to assist them in writing your recommendation letter, schedule a complimentary consultation with an admissions expert today!
