Should I send any additional recommendation letters?

When it comes to sending any recommendations in addition to the two we require, it is best to be very thoughtful and selective. Sending additional recommendations is not required, and for some students it is unnecessary. However, there are those students who feel their application would be incomplete without a letter from an additional person; the dancer who spends hours in the studio each night who wants to get her dance teacher to write on her behalf, the student who works a part time job and has grown close to her boss, the Editor in Chief of the school newspaper who works tirelessly on each issue and wants a letter from her newspaper adviser. 

A few things to carefully consider with additional recommendations:

1.       Is the person going to say something about me that hasn’t already been said? Do they know me in a way that is different from my other two recommenders?

2.       Is this letter really going to add to my application and help an admissions counselor understand more about who I am?

Remember to give your teachers ample time, and don’t be afraid to remind them of the deadlines. (You might do so in the form of a thank you!)  We look forward to reading what they have to say!

Who should write my recommendation letters?

Students often ask us who should write their recommendation letters, and this is always a tough question to answer because ultimately you know your teachers much better than we do! However, we can provide you with some things to consider when trying to decide who it might make sense to ask.

The first thing to do is make sure that the two teachers you chose fit into our requirements—they need to have taught you in eleventh or twelfth grade in a core academic subject (math, science, social studies, foreign language, or English). Next, think about the teachers you have the closest relationships with and the ones you think would have a lot to say about you. What classes have you most enjoyed? Is there something—a project, a paper, a presentation—that you are particularly proud of and would like a teacher to discuss? Have you experienced something with this teacher that makes you memorable? When considering this final point, think outside the box. While you might not think about asking your chemistry teacher to write you a recommendation letter if chemistry was a class you struggled with, that teacher may be able to speak to your incredible work ethic, your curiosity about unfamiliar material, and your positive attitude.

Ask yourself: what do I want the person reading my application to know about me, and which teacher will communicate that best?