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[00:00:00] When you’re applying to college, it’s not enough to send your schools transcripts, applications, and essays to prospective colleges. You also need to send letters of recommendation. Now, I’m guessing this is the first time you’ll be requesting a recommendation letter. So let me tell you about the process.

First of all, when should you start? Your teachers probably have a lot of requests from students to write their recommendations, which are sent out in the fall of senior year. So asking them before the end of junior year will give them ample time to work on it, and also make sure that you’re fresh in their mind when they’re writing about you.

How many recommendations do you need? Colleges have their own requirements. Take a look at college admission websites and see how many letters of recommendation that they require. Most colleges will ask for one or two letters and more is not better. Just send the amount required. Next, you should identify the teachers that you want to [00:01:00] write your recommendations.

These should be teachers who have had you in class recently and know you well. They should be able to speak to your strengths, probably in a class that showcases your abilities. You may also want to pick a teacher whose class aligns with your intended field of study, so English, for example, if you wanted to study journalism.

Or chemistry. If you wanna study chemical engineering. And if you want your letter to stress a particular strength, be sure to communicate that. Finally, if a teacher has agreed to write you a letter of recommendation, write them a thank you note afterwards. Thanks for watching, and if you have any further questions about college admissions, here’s where you can find us.