How To Get AWESOME Letters of Recommendation!

Are you looking to make your college application the best it can be? Letters of recommendation can be a major part of how colleges view you. Check out this video where Brooke shares some steps to help you through the process of asking for letters of recommendation.

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Music:
Buddy - Royalty Free Music from Bensound

[kittenluvzu]

At my school (a public school), every student is required to complete a very detailed questionnaire of what we want our teacher recommendations to say. In essence, the student/parent crafts the substance of the letter and the teacher adds/subtracts to it where necessary. Ditto for counselor recommendations. The end product is replete with stories, anecdotes, personal details, etc. And yes, many at my school get admitted to the Ivys, so it must be working.

[tiffanybusby]

She is so right! One more tip—if you are trying to decide between two teachers, pick the one that is organized and on time. If one of your picks is always late, it’s likely your letter will also be late.

[Rinatir]

"Write a letter yourself and I will sign it"

I thought this only happened in my corrupted country. Lol.

[valisbored]

I’m a counselor and writing letters is not a teachers job! They often take their own time after school or on the weekends writing them. Students are not entitled to a letter so please be gracious and humble when asking for a letter.

[khanhfident]

This video came at the PERFECT time as I'm currently asking professors for recommendation letters for grad school!

[lydiagayle]

I have written recommendations for 15 years now, and this is the first year where students have told me what they’d like me to write about, and it felt pretty presumptuous when they requested those specific details, considering how much experience I as a teacher bring to the process. It is weird to me that a student would ask a teacher to write a recommendation yet include the implication that the same teacher doesn’t know what should actually go in the letter. For the most part, all the other suggestions you gave are so helpful. I would add that I like for the student to send me a copy of their college essay in addition to a resume/activity list so that what I say expands the scope of their application rather than retelling the same stories they might tell in their essay. And...I haven’t watched the junior video yet, but can you please let them know that how they behave in class MATTERS and shapes a recommendation. Engagement in discussion and class activities, demonstrating respect to one’s peers and teachers, meeting deadlines, resisting shortcuts, and even displaying self-control with regard to cellphone use all make significant impressions on a teacher who may be writing your recommendation. Thank you for your videos - you deliver a lot of helpful content!

[navidalvey]

My chem teacher is giving me the cold shoulder ;_; Now I'm just frantically trying to find out what embarrassing thing he knows about me.

[misswealth]

I like that you address all types of college applicants. So many people just focus on students straight out of H.S.

[epiphanyh.]

I was literally just stressing about this and asking my friend who graduated last year for some advice. How ironic! And very needed. Thank you :)

[leafyleaf]

This is the part of college application that I’m the least excited for. I could see myself working up the courage to ask one teacher, but who knows.

[Forrsch]

Could you do a video about how you would be able to get into a top college if you're in an area that has very little opportunity?

[brightmindsestyouneed]

I love watching your channel, so informative

[lydiajude]

Could you make a video about what the situation with the PSAT/NMSQT this year for juniors? :)

[anntaylor]

do all recommendation letters going to the common app have to go through the process of rating the student?

[krimmy]

3rd position, letssss get itttt!!. Btw-I am student living in Nigeria, but I want to apply for FALL 2021.When am I supposed to start applying to colleges?

[danschick]

Do letters of Recommendation have to be mainly by teachers? Like would it be okay to ask Boy Scout Scout Master/Assistant Scout Master etc?

[uuuuuu]

Should I submit the optional ''other'' letter of recommendation? From who should it be??

[TrulyTom]

When it comes to a CV, which literally means "Course of Life" from the Latin "Curriculum Vitae" it is a lot like in a court case with opposing attorneys who are more or less of equal ability. Whoever tells the best story wins. In my case, for my part I'm reconnecting with old faculty whom know one thing about me which jogs their memory and can speak to that point of information. Then I've one man whose known me longer than my college professors and I work for him today. He will sum up what the other two will allude to.

[andriaxu]

none of my teachers know anything about me T_T

[brianzhagui]

Do I need a strong college essay for a match school. What are the benefits of strong essays is it just for admission?