H O W B E L M O N T H I G H S C H O O L T E A C H E R S A N D C O U N S E L O R S C A N S T R E N G T H E N A S T U D E N T ’ S

A P P L I C A T I O N C H A N C E S

R E B E C C A J O S E P H

R J O S E P H @ C A L S T A T E L A . E D U

F B : G E T M E T O C O L L E G E F R E E A D V I C E

Teacher and Counselors Letters of Recommendations

Let’s Get Started…

1. Quickly write down your fears or dread of writing letters of recommendation for students?

2. Why do you think colleges still ask for these letters even though students rarely submit negative letters?

Goals for Today

1. Teacher and counselor letters often help break ties and tip students into a college. They often help students get scholarship money. Let’s think why.

2. As we look through tips, write down any ongoing questions you may have.

3. As we look at sample, write down qualities of the letters that are strong and/or could be improved.

Teacher Recommendations

Teacher recommendations: Provide the admissions offices/scholarship committees with

information that helps with the admission/selection decision Should indicate what kind of learner the student is (inquisitive,

critical thinking skills etc.) Should focus on academics in your subject – depth and breadth

of student ability Should address intellectual potential through examples of

student work Can include anecdotes that speak to student personality and

academic talents Should be at least three to five detailed paragraphs It is ok to decline the student’s request for any reason – please

notify the student and counselor if possible.

Teacher and Counselor Letters

Can include observations about the student gleaned from work in a club or other school activity

Should and can mention real resiliency, leadership, and initiative

Should not duplicate what is in the other kinds of recommendations or information that can be found elsewhere in the student application

Can comment on the academic rigor that the student can handle

The hidden ? Is why? Why should our institution admit this student?

Processes

Student should approach you and make the request within a reasonable amount of time

You should feel comfortable and confident that you know the student well before you agree to write a recommendation

Counselors and teachers should require student brag sheets with core information to assist in the writing of the letters

Student resumes are also very useful to review

Some more writing tips

To review The recommendation letter should set apart the student and

present information that allows college admissions personnel to clearly differentiate the applicant from his peers. In many cases, the competition toward acceptance is intensely fierce and the letter may help to portray the student in a unique way.

Letters should be straightforward, personalized, very specific, and limited to one to two pages.

Use handy student and parent brag sheets, graded student work, resumes, and formal request letters to get detailed information directly from students and their parents to personalize letters.

Use Into Through and Beyond Writing Method

Use a three to four paragraph model following the Into, Through and Beyond model.

INTO

The initial (INTO) paragraph should grip the reader and get him interested in the applicant. Never begin a letter with the statement, “I have been asked to write this letter on behalf of…” It is helpful to be creative in setting the tone: “Should anyone ask why Joe Blow is such a famous face around our high school campus, the answer is certainly because he is the highly valued team captain of the Spur-Flies, our tiny underdog robotics team that swept the April 2014 VEX World Robotics Competition in Dallas. This paragraph should also include how long and how well you know the student.

THROUGH

The body of the letter (THROUGH) should address the following elements with specific examples that include powerful adjective and verbs:

Evidence of leadership Special skills and accomplishments Integrity and Character Examples of academic excellence and leadership and initiative If you highlight the student’s integrity or leadership be prepared to

cite examples demonstrating this trait. Refer to projects, papers, and other academic accomplishments that illustrate these qualities. Colleges want to know if an applicant can write and research.

Colleges look at how a student will fit into their particular culture and how successful he will be completing four years of study. If applicable, highlight obstacles overcome by the student in his or her high school career.

BEYOND

Close (BEYOND) with evidence that you believe the student will thrive in particular college environments and how much the student will add to a college community.

Include how they can contact you via phone or email to get more information

Data to Collect

Data to help your collect the information to write these letters include A student brag sheet in which students list

Their favorite moments in your class Their favorite academic interactions with you and with classmates. The way they learned best Examples of their academic development in activities, essays, projects, and

groups. Their college hopes and dreams-academically, socially, and activities. Their college list-are the schools small liberal arts or large public institutions. Ask them to attach their best, graded academic work from your class

A parent, relative, or friend brag sheet in which the recommender lists The qualities teachers may not know about the student A sample first paragraph for a letter of recommendation to a college The ways in which the student developed in your class.

A resume in which students list Their activities in and out of school with evidence of consistency,

development, leadership, and initiative. Activities categories can include in school and out of school activities, jobs, community service.

The ways they have spent their summers.

Other academic experiences.

A formal letter of request in which they State all colleges and deadlines

Provide you with highlights of their successes in your class

Summarize why they think you are key to their college admissions.

Examples of graded student work that the student feels best reflect his work in your class.

Students college essays, including supplemental ones about academic interests.

Timeline

US

Early Decision and Early Action letters have Nov. 1 –November 15 deadlines

CSU EOP deadlines vary depending on the campus. First deadlines are November 30.

Regular admissions begin December 1-mid January for most colleges.

Some start colleges in other states are rolling from now through April.

Some students will require more than one teacher recommendation

Sample Letter

April 1, 2014

Re: Letter of Recommendation for Martin Garcia, Jr.

To Whom It May Concern:

I have known Martin Garcia Jr. for four years as his geometry teacher, his leadership advisor, and one of his biggest supporters and “cheerleaders”. In this time, Martin has shown absolute brilliance in character, demeanor, and athletic and academic prowess. He has been a solid student (3.8 – 4.0 GPA) every year, he has held a campus leadership position each year, this year he is the Associated Student Body Vice-President, and he has lettered in all of the sports which he participates. He is just an exceptional young man of the school community and the La Puente community as well.

As his freshman honors geometry teacher, I remember our first test. Martin took up until the bell to complete his test. I thought he struggled. However, upon grading it, I saw that he used his time wisely. He scored a very high 98 percent. Each test after that was the same, always very methodical, always a score in the nineties. I knew he was special. I found out that at the end of the year he passed his Advanced Placement Geography exam, only one of five students to do so. He has been one of our top performing students ever since.

As his leadership advisor, I noticed that Martin was never shy to speak upon improving student affairs and being involved in campus improvements. He was involved in the Junior Class advisory board, the Video effects for Performances (which is incredible) and now the ASB Vice-President. He is always at either the lead of the group or making his presence accounted for in the group. He is serious about the outlook and legacy he will be leaving the school. He leads by example in students making good decisions not to do drugs and alcohol by participating in groups that promote safety and awareness. He has become passionate about the betterment of his school, his classmates and the community.

I could tell you more about Martin, like his church involvement and his great relationship with his family. He has two brothers, also at our high school, also my former students, also doing well in school. I will say it again; Martin is absolutely exceptional, with the best attitude, a great family, and well respected by adults and peers alike. I grow sadder as I finish this letter, knowing that it means I won’t get to see him as much next year. I know, however, he will leave us a great legacy here at La Puente High School.

Most Sincerely,

Diori R. JonesUniversity Freshman Geometry TeacherAssociated Student Body AdvisorFriday Night Live Safety Awareness Coordinator

Some Final Ideas

Writing a student college recommendation can be an exciting experience if you know enough about the student to paint a vivid picture of who the person is that you are recommending.

Here are some cool writing resources. Positive Personality adjectives:http://justenglish.me/2014/03/17/positive-personality-

adjectives-list/Leadership Character and Traitshttp://www.sos.net/~donclark/leader/leadchr.html Tips for Students About Letters of Recommendation

http://getmetocollege.org/hs/application-essay-tips/teacher-recommendations

Contact Me/Get Powerpoint

I can come to your classes and speak on a range of topics. rjoseph@calstatela.edu

This powerpoint and many of my other ones are available on slideshare.net/getmetocollege

I’m speaking at NCTE this Friday on ways teachers can embed college application essays into their ongoing teaching. Would you want to pilot this curriculum with me, let me know.