New Orleans Guide to High School and Beyond 2018

RECOMMENDATION
LETTERS
A
letter of recommendation is a positive reference from
someone who knows you and your work as a student. A strong
recommendation letter can make all the difference in getting
into the school of your choice. The following guidelines will help you
secure the strongest recommendation possible:
1. Know what is required. Many schools will have specific
directions about how they want the recommendation to look, how
many you need, and when it is due. They may also tell you who
should be writing the recommendation. Be sure to follow all of their
instructions and make sure the person writing the recommendation
knows exactly what the school’s expectations are and what they are
looking for in a student.
2. Ask the right people. The person writing your recommendation
should know you well and provide specific examples of your personal
characteristics, academic strengths, and accomplishments. This means
that the best recommendation may not always be from your principal;
it could be from your favorite English teacher, coach, pastor, or an
adult mentor. Do not ask a family member to recommend you; schools
want to see that you have developed relationships in your community.
3. Be polite when requesting a letter of recommendation.
When you ask someone to recommend you, you're asking them to
commit their time and energy to create a thoughtful response. Be
sure you ask them at least thirty days before the due date, and
provide clear directions on how the letter is to be submitted. If
the school requests the letter to be sent directly to them, give the
recommender a pre-addressed stamped envelope. Do not forget
to follow-up with a thank you card!
4. Follow up to make sure it is mailed! While you should
always be polite, as the deadline approaches do not be afraid to
send a reminder to the person writing your letter. This letter could
play a major role in your future, so it needs to be in on time. You
do not need to nag, but sometimes life can get busy and a helpful
reminder is all that is needed to get the ball rolling.
Use the chart below to track your recommendation
letters.
Recommendation letters have been requested from the following:
NAME DATE REQUESTED
DATE REMINDER
SENT
DATE RECEIVED
30