3 Tips for Writing Recommendation Letters

Well written recommendation letters can set students above their peers when Colleges begin comparing applications. Students typically will ask a favorite teacher of counselor to write a letter for them. When asked to write letters for multiple students how do you make each one original and unique to that student?

U.S. News & World Report recently published an article with 3 tips. They are:

1. Include a personal story – this personalizes each student and shouldn’t just rehash what is listed on the students resume

2. Plan ahead – writing these letters can take up a lot of your valuable time but you want to help your students. Impose a deadline and know when application deadlines are so you aren’t stuck working the last weekend before deadline to write letters for multiple students. Many Counselors will write letters during the summer between the students junior and senior year.

3. Don’t be afraid to turn down writing a student’s recommendation letter – if you don’t really know the student it is OK to steer them towards asking a teacher or boss at their job who knows them better and can write a letter about why they would make a great student.

Here is a link to the story – 3 Tips for High School Teachers Writing Recommendation Letters