Letters of rec can come from a wide range of people including mentors, instructors, employers, counselors, and more. However, the most common person to ask for a letter of rec is your teachers. Typically this will be a teacher you had in your junior year, or someone who knows you well. Generally, you want one letter to to talk about your work ethic and another to talk about your character. Oftentimes one STEM rec and one humanities rec.

You should ask for letters of rec in person if possible, and if not, through a thoughtful email. Since many teachers and counsellors have to write dozens of letters, be prepared to provide a list of specific, unique things that you have done with that mentor to help them write their letters. You should also be prepared to potentially fill out a questionnaire provided by your teacher/mentor asking for these attributes.

Letters of recommendation are arguably one of the most important parts of your college application. They are meant to help colleges get to know you as a person from someone else’s point of view. Colleges like them because they reveal things about you that grades and test scores can’t, provide personal opinions of your character, and show who is willing to speak on your behalf.

EARLY. College application deadlines will sneak up on you. Make sure to ask for letter of recs as soon as possible, as many instructors are asked by dozens of students to write them letters of rec. You should ask for letters of rec around the 2nd week of school of the fall of your senior year, or even at the end of your junior year.

Letters of rec will be uploaded to Naviance, submitted through Naviance, and asked for through Naviance. DO NOT add a teacher to naviance for your letter of rec before talking to them about writing one.

Most of the time, you’ll never see your letter of rec. Teachers will upload them directly to Naviance and you will likely never see its contents. So choose your writers of recommendation carefully!