Figuring Out College Admissions: Letters of Recommendation
By Path Mentor J.K., a current undergraduate student at Columbia University (Originally Posted on September 26, 2019)
When college admissions committees read a student’s application, they spend most of their time reading their essays and letters of recommendation. Reading two to three letters of recommendation for every student takes hours for each college admissions committee, so why do they even bother asking for recommendation letters? Almost all top colleges have a holistic admissions process to analyze and evaluate students because there are more qualified applicants than spots in an incoming freshman class. Colleges look at more than just the “hard factors,” such as GPA and test scores, and use “soft factors,” such as essays and letters of recommendation, to get to know a student on a more personal level. It is important to note that essays and recommendation letters are just as essential as grades and test scores when it comes to applying to top schools. If letters of recommendation are that important, you may ask yourself some the following questions.
Who should I ask for letters of recommendation?
Junior year teachers, senior year teachers, and guidance counselors are the best people to ask for recommendation letters because they know who you are right now. Colleges are not interested in who you were two or three years ago; they want to know who you are right now. Teachers who have taught you for multiple years are also great people to ask because they can speak about your growth throughout your years in high school. Also, teachers who have taught rigorous courses are great to ask because they can speak on how well you handle stress and difficulties in an academic setting. Speaking of people who have seen your growth throughout high school, ElitesPath mentors can also write letters of recommendation for you! By joining ElitesPath early and working with ElitesPath mentors, there are many opportunities to show your mentors who you are and how you are growing in high school. You can ask for letters of recommendation from mentors who have personally attended and experienced the top colleges you are applying to!
When should I ask for recommendation letters?
It is very important to ask for letters of recommendation as soon as possible. At the start of senior year, most students will start asking for recommendation letters and teachers will start becoming overwhelmed by the number of letters they have to write. The best time to ask for recommendation letters is at the end of junior year because teachers have a lot of time during the summer to write. They also only have a few students they have to write letters for, so they can focus on writing a comprehensive, compelling letter.
What kind of recommendation letter stands out to top colleges?
Top colleges are not looking for merely hard-working students. They are seeking rare, one-of-a-kind students. When teachers write recommendation letters, phrases such as “one of the best students I have taught in the last ten years” and “the best student I have ever taught” pop out to the admissions committee because it not only shows that the student works hard but also stands out amongst thousands of other students.
What does it mean to waive my right to review recommendation letters? Should I do it?
Students who are at least 18 years old have the right to access their college application records which includes their letters of recommendation. However, they are given the option to waive their right to review recommendation letters on their college application, and it is important to do so. In college admissions, the expectation for letters of recommendation is that they are kept confidential because they want the most honest letters about students. If you don’t waive your right to review recommendation letters, both the admissions officers and your recommenders will notice that you are not trusting your recommenders in what they have to say about you.
As a final tip, I suggest that you start making positive relationships with all of your teachers, counselors, and mentors as early as your freshman year of high school. Talk to them on a personal level about who you are, how you became who you are today, and what you want to accomplish in the future. The more your recommender knows about you, the better they will write your letter of recommendation.
