It is extremely important to note that a person will have a difficult time writing a positive recommendation, if they do not know you. Therefore, it is very important to get to know your teachers and counselors well. When talking with them, be sure to tell them about your future goals, your interest and such. It is best to start visiting during your Junior year and be sure to visit often!
The most important rule in choosing which teachers to ask is to select teachers that know you WELL. It is a good idea to ask teachers from two different subject areas. Ideally, one of them should be from the field in which you hope to major, especially if that field is one of the sciences.
Choose a teacher you have taken courses from during your sophomore, junior, or senior years, one in whose classes you have worked hard. You do not have to select teachers who gave you As a teacher who watched you struggle with a difficult course and eventually succeed in getting a B can write convincingly of your persistence and determination
You may be surprised to discover that some extremely complimentary recommendations can hurt your chances of getting into a college. Admissions committee members are suspicious of candidates who sound too perfect.
The most effective recommendations focus on a few of your most important strengths and weaknesses and give specific examples of ways in which you have demonstrated positive qualities. If your recommendations are not bland, if they show you as an individual with specific strong points and shortcomings, you will stand out in the committee's memory. As in the guidance counselor's evaluation, the teacher will be asked to comment not only on your academic ability, but on specific aspects of your personality as well. You cannot tell teachers what to write about you, but you can tell them what you are hoping this particular college will find interesting about you and in what ways you are trying to stand out from the crowd. The better you know the teacher the easier it will be to discuss your application strategy.
Keep in mind that some teachers write better recommendations than others simply because they are better writers and/or understand the admissions process better. You may want to ask your guidance counselor if there are any teachers you have had who write particularly good ones.
Give your teachers several weeks to write your evaluations. Make sure they know the deadlines for completing them and that they have all the proper forms. Remind them politely of the deadline as it draws near. Please be sure to thank them for their effort and keep them posted as you start receiving your acceptances. By the way, you have the right to see everything in your admissions folder once you have been accepted at a college. You can waive this right, and many college advisers suggest that you do so, in order to encourage your teachers to be as candid as possible in their evaluations of you. Remember, an honest evaluation from a teacher who respects you is much more persuasive than a vague, bland one from a teacher who is afraid to say anything even vaguely negative.
Should you include other references with your application? You might consider including a recommendation from an employer who knows you well and can write in specific terms about some special quality you have demonstrated on the job or something special you have achieved. If you organized an after school gymnastics pro gram at your local daycare center or played a major role in helping out during a community disaster, your super visor on those jobs would probably write a great reference for you.
Remember please be careful about overloading your file with extra materials. Quality is more important than quantity.
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