College Apps Demystified Namita Gupta

http://Tinyurl.com/Interested2Attend

ANJALI VASWANI

Flex College Prep

PRIYA PULLUR

NAMITA GUPTA

KAREN HYDE

Hyde Consult

MARCI REICHELSTEIN Compass to

College

TIFFANY LU

Flex

B Y N A M I TA G U P TA

HOW TO GET A GREAT RECOMMENDATION LETTER

© 2015 Knavigators Consulting

AGENDA

•  Purpose of Recommendation Letter

•  Elements of a Great Recommendation Letter

•  Whom to Ask

•  When to Ask

•  How to get the Best Recommendation Letter


PURPOSE OF RECOMMENDATION LETTERS ?

•  To show who you are as a person

•  Reveal traits about you that grades and test scores can’t

•  Provide personal opinion of your character

•  Present you in the best possible light, showcasing your skills and abilities


ELEMENTS OF A GREAT LETTER

An EFFECTIVE Letter of Recommendation will: •  Show the reader that the person writing the letter

knows you well

•  Provide insight into your personality and character instead of listing accomplishments

•  Analyze ways you have challenged yourself

•  Use specific result-oriented details to illustrate statements made about you


ELEMENTS OF A GREAT LETTER

•  Talk about your skills that will matter in college, like class participation, organization and follow-through, reaction to adversity

•  Hint at your potential and your future goals

•  Mention your recommender's qualifications

•  State that you would make great contributions to the college or university


WHOM TO ASK

•  Teachers from junior year or a current teacher

•  Teachers from classes where you have engaged intellectually

•  One letter from math/science teacher and one letter from humanities/social sciences

•  Other adults such as an employer, a coach, or an adviser from an activity

•  Recommenders who can give the strongest and most balanced account of your accomplishments and potential


WHEN TO ASK

•  Earlier you ask, better it is - spring of Junior year if planning EA or ED

•  Surely by first or second week of Senior year

•  Give teachers AT LEAST a month to write and submit the recommendation letter

•  Let them know of the deadlines ahead of time


HOW TO GET THE BEST RECOMMENDATION

•  Teachers write many recommendation letters each year, nudge their memories

•  Copies of papers/projects you wrote for that teacher's class, with his or her comments

•  Describe one or two of your best project/ paper in that class

•  Tell them what you learned in class


MAKE SURE THEY REMEMBER YOU

•  Remind them of specific work or projects you’re proud of

•  Talk to them about your class participation

•  Give them information they need to provide specific examples of your work

•  Mention other challenges you’ve overcome


MAKE SURE THEY KNOW YOU

•  Make clear to your teacher why you are applying to each college

•  How each college matches your learning styles and objectives

•  Ask the teacher to cite examples of these in his or her class

•  Provide a resume, a “brag sheet” that briefly outlines your activities and qualities, accomplishments you want to highlight


COUNSELOR RECOMMENDATION

•  Set up an appointment school counselor or other school official for recommendations

•  If you need to discuss part of your transcript — low grades during your sophomore year, for example - do so

•  Why you had difficulty and discuss how you've

changed and improved


FINAL TIPS

•  Make sure your references know the deadlines

•  Follow up with your references a week or two before the due date

•  Once you’ve decided which college to attend, write thank-you notes

•  BE POLITE - make sure that your teachers know you appreciate their efforts


Education

College Apps Demystified Namita Gupta