Page 87 - Admissions Logistics 2020

WHY LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT
Letters of recommendation are are are especially important because they are are are an an opportunity to to show prospective schools not only that you you you think you you you are are are great but somebody else does too! A quality letter of of of recommendation will help showcase additional elements of of of your your personality skills talents and and interests things that may not be be indicated in in in in other areas of of of of your your your your application application Likewise the the the the the position and and and title of of of of your your your your your recommender can be be helpful: if your your your your your application application exudes your your your your love of of of the the the the the theatre theatre and and and your your your your letters of of of recommendation come from the the the the the school drama teacher and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a local director chances are you’re not only interested in in in in in theatre theatre but already pursuing that interest in in a a a a a a a tangible way If you’re lucky enough to to be be reading this in in in in in your your Junior year year (or before) – or or or or or even early in in in in in your your Senior year year it it may make sense to to start intentionally building a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a strong relationship with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a teacher coach and other prominent non-relative adults Let this person (or better yet these people) know your hopes for for for college college Ask them for for for advice advice – where did they they go to to school? How are their past students doing in in in in college? What advice advice might they they they have for for for you you you you you as as you you you you you work toward admission? Would they they be willing to to to review an an an an essay look over your your resume or or or help you you you you you you in in in in in in other ways? Asking questions and and and spending extra time and and and energy with people you you you you you you want to to to to write your your your letter of recommendation not only helps them to to to to get to to to to know you you you you you and and and and your your interests but also gives
him or or or or her her fodder for for an an an an outstanding letter Let’s say say you you you you arrange to to to to meet with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a teacher or or or or coach before school starts This person person may then be be able to to to to to say say that you you you are the the type of person person willing to to to to to to get get get up extra early to to to to to to get get get what she wants Inviting a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a teacher to to to to to to your swim meet art art opening or or or or even even a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a family barbecue gives
them even even more opportunity to to to to to to to get get get to to to to to to to know you you When the the the time comes to to to to ask for the the the letter make sure to to to to give give this person person ample written material that backs up your your your your accomplishments and and indicates your your your your interests such as as grades personal statements your your your your resume and and anything else that will show the full extent of your your your qualifications If you’re not able to to to go the extra mile in in in in in terms of of getting to to to know a a a a a a a a a a a a a a teacher and build an an an an an in-depth relationship in in in in in advance you you you you can certainly still manage to to to to get get excellent letters Select a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a couple of of teachers you’ve you’ve had and for for for whom you’ve you’ve performed well Arrange to to to meet meet the prospective letter- writer for for for for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a good amount of time at at at at least 30 minutes more if possible In that that meeting be sure to to give this this person person ample written material that that shows your performance As mentioned above this this may include an an an an an an informal transcript test scores personal statements resumes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a list of schools you’re applying to and anything else that can help your teacher advocate for for you you you 75