The constant discussion of grades and SAT scores and how they relates to getting into college may leave many students feeling as though letters of recommendation are an afterthought. Yet, this isn’t exactly the case, as recommendations can, in fact, be tremendously important. Good letters of recommendation, or even one glowing letter of recommendation, can be enough to push you past someone else and earn you a place in a university or college of your choice. So before you spend too much time trying to determine what to take to college or how to find a college roommate, first focus on the basics. One of these basics is getting the best letters of recommendation possible!
You want your teachers to be impressed and write great letters of recommendation for you, but there is a catch. If you’ve spent all of your time in their class and never impressed them in any way, then you will have a tough time getting a glowing recommendation. They may not even know your name!
The sooner you can begin impressing teachers, the better off you may be. Sure, spending your time impressing teachers may not make you extremely popular in many schools, but you need to ask yourself, do I really care? Your present is in high school, but your future is in college.
Here are some ways to impress teachers so that you stand out when it comes time for a letter of recommendation.
1) Do more work that is required of you. Teachers truly notice it when you do extra work beyond what they assign you. A good place to put this strategy into action is on a paper or other similar project.
2) Have extracurricular activities and make sure that your teacher knows about those activities.
3) Ask your teachers for their advice on college, the college application process and related issues. If you can do this a year or more before it’s time to start applying for college, you can be sure that they will realize you are serious about college. They will remember this when it comes time to write you a glowing letter of recommendation.
4) Get good grades. Of course, nothing impresses like getting an “A” in a teacher’s class. More than anything else that you do, they will remember giving you that coveted A.
5) Be on the lookout. You should always be on the lookout for ways that you can demonstrate to a teacher that you are bright and eager. This does not mean that you should try and answer every question asked in class. But being proactive, alert and consistently prepared for class is something that most teachers notice.
6) Ask your teachers how you can improve your performance or what weak points you may have in a given subject. Don’t be afraid to let them know that you are preparing for college. Once again, letting your teachers know that you are thinking about college, preferably well before its time to send in applications, will impress them.
In the end, there is no “magic solution” that will help you get an amazing recommendation. This article isn’t a guide to a guaranteed great letter of recommendation. Instead our intent is to give you some pointers designed to increase your chances of landing that great letter. Remember, with some effort and patience, you will likely have success.
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