Recomandations + Resume [New]

blueiguana
Sat, 12 Jun 2010 03:55:22 +0000

Are you already out of school for the summer? If not I’d suggest asking your teachers in person if they can give you a good recommendation. Others may offer different information on how this is done at their school. If I’m your teacher and it is August, I am on summer vacation with my family and I receive an email asking for a college recommendation, I’m going to stick that email in a folder where I won’t look at it again until September (if you are lucky). Many teachers do write their recommendations over the summer and will only commit to a select number. Others when asked will tell you to see them in September. Unless your school is vastly different, asking a teacher in person is always going to be more respectful.

You will need two recommendations, plus your GC…perhaps not even this many. You haven’t narrowed down your schools so this is safe. Choose your two strongest subjects where you have good relationships with the teachers. It is going to be best if you can have one from math/science, and one from english/history. You don’t HAVE to have any one subject represented for a specific major. Your math teacher may just be bland and you don’t think the LOR will be that interesting. You may have a super relationship with your science teacher and feel they will write a glowing report. Go with the science teacher. It’s not going to matter to the adcoms as much which one, just that it’s good.

Yes, I would offer a one page resume to the teacher along with a formal letter requesting the LOR. I would list anything you have been involved in at school, significant awards and/or leadership roles, volunteer efforts, and work experience. It’s not your college application so be brief, but remind them of what you actually do for the school and community outside of their classroom. They may be even more impressed with you! If you want, you can include a brief statement that your goal is to attend a four year university where you would like to major in math, IT, or comp sci.

This takes a bit more effort, but it is much more respectful of your teachers.

Good luck!!