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Letters of recommendation are used to strengthen a student’s chance of admission to the
college of their choice. Letters are written by high school counselors, academic teachers,
coaches and other sources. These letters help the admission team assess the students’
academic strengths and character as seen through the eyes of others. It is a supplemental
document to the student’s application, transcript and standardized test scores.
So how and when does a student request a letter of recommendation?
To answer this, we consulted a high school counselor to help break down some of the
most common questions about letters of recommendations:
• How many letters of recommendation will I need?
Depending on the college the average is 1-3 letters. Each college will post how
many are needed on either their website or on the application.
• Who should I ask?
It is important to ask an academic teacher that knows you well as a student. The
teacher(s) you ask may not necessarily have taught the courses you got your
highest grades in. You want the teacher to be able to speak to you as a student,
your intellectual curiosity, your work ethic, participation in class, and your ability to
work as a team member on a project.
Letters of Recommendation
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