{"id":5537,"date":"2023-10-19T16:11:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T16:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solomonadmissions.com\/?p=5537"},"modified":"2024-02-19T11:11:43","modified_gmt":"2024-02-19T16:11:43","slug":"ask-teacher-for-letter-of-recommendation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solomonadmissions.com\/in\/post\/ask-teacher-for-letter-of-recommendation\/","title":{"rendered":"Which teacher(s) should I ask for my letter of recommendation?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Between the essays, activity list, transcript, and every other material that colleges ask for, teacher letters of recommendation (also known as LORs) might be the last thing on your mind as you assemble your college applications. That being said, they are still an important part of the holistic admissions review process, and you should take just as much care with them as you would with any other material you submit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Which<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a hard-working, studious individual with an impressive educational track record, it might feel impossible to narrow down your list of favorite teachers to just a couple of recommenders. As you create your short list and make plans to \u201cpop the question,\u201d consider the following tips to help make your decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to keep in mind when choosing a recommender<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Know your requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Letter of recommendation requirements can vary widely among colleges, so be sure you are researching and keeping track of how many and what type of letters are required by each school you\u2019re applying to. Most (but not all) selective colleges and universities require 2 teacher letters of recommendation as part of your application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Balance subjects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When selecting recommenders, be mindful of what type of school or program you\u2019re applying to. For example, if you\u2019re applying to a rigorous engineering program, admissions officers will want to hear from your STEM teachers to ensure you have the necessary hard skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, if you\u2019re applying to a school with a liberal arts focus, admissions officers will expect to see a more balanced approach. My go-to advice for students in this situation is to submit one recommendation from a STEM teacher and one recommendation from a humanities and\/or social sciences teacher<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prioritize recent teachers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

High school is a time of growth and change, and your letters of recommendation should reflect this as well. Colleges use letters of recommendation to assess how prepared you are for a college-level classroom environment. For this reason, it\u2019s better to get recommendations from junior or senior-year teachers, since they have worked on you with more advanced material and have a more up-to-date view of you as a person than your freshman English teacher might.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put your best foot forward<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Admissions officers view teacher recommendations as a window into what you\u2019re like in the classroom \u2013 so make sure you\u2019re picking teachers who see you on your best classroom behavior! The ideal recommender is one whose class you eagerly participate in, whose office hours you frequently attend, and who has helped you submit assignments you\u2019re proud of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommenders to avoid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Who not <\/strong>to select for your teacher recommendations will depend partly on the program you\u2019re applying to, but a good rule of thumb is to preference recommenders who teach one of the 5 core academic disciplines<\/strong> (humanities, social sciences, math, laboratory sciences, and world languages).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, avoid asking teachers who have not known you for very long, such as a teacher from a one-semester class or the teacher whose class you just started a month ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Special considerations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Keep in mind that the above factors are suggestions, not <\/em>hard rules. There are some circumstances where it may be in your best interest to select a teacher who doesn\u2019t meet the requirements I\u2019ve listed here. For instance, if your sophomore-year math teacher is also a long-time family friend who coaches your softball team, they might still be a good candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More information about letters of recommendation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Non-teacher recommenders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, colleges will require additional letters of recommendation beyond just the teacher letters. This may include letters from:<\/p>\n\n\n\n