College Recommendation Letters

In the spring, juniors need to begin thinking about college recommendation letters. While the guidance counselors provide each student with one letter of recommendation, most colleges require additional letters from one or more teachers. Many students request recommendation letters from their English teachers, though you are free to ask any teacher you wish. (Only a few select colleges require letters from English teachers.) Because the English Department receives so many requests for recommendation letters, we have a recommendation letter request process. The open letter posted below is distributed to all 11th grade students through their English classes.

Dear 11th grader,

The time to think about lining up a teacher to write your college recommendation is approaching. As teachers spend dozens of hours of their personal time extending this favor, we must limit the number of students for whom we write recommendations. As much as we would like to, we are unable to write recommendations for all of the students who ask us. Accordingly, you may ask only one English teacher for a recommendation. Please also remember that your recommendation does not have to be from an English teacher; most colleges do not have this as a requirement.

Write a brief personal request for a letter of recommendation to one English teacher after carefully considering which teachers know you best and would be able to comment on your strengths. Your letter can be as short as one brief paragraph. It must not be longer than one page. This is not a formal essay assignment. We will not be choosing the "best" letters, but rather we will have a chance to think about whether we could write you a quality recommendation.

Submit your brief (typed) request letter directly to the individual teacher you are asking. (Note: while it’s always best to submit request letters in person, it is also appropriate to drop requests in teachers’ mailboxes.) Request letters must be submitted between April 30, 2007 and May 4, 2007. Be sure to include the name of your current English teacher in your request so we will know how to reach you with a response. (It’s a good idea to include your email address as well.) We will respond to you by May 15, 2007. If we are not able to write your recommendation, this date will give you adequate time to find an alternative before the end of the school year.

Thank you,

Walt Whitman English Department