Letters of Recommendation – Everything You Need to Know

Why do you need a Letter of Recommendation? 

Strong letters of recommendation add another voice to your application. A third party advocating for your character, academic readiness, and potential can help sway a highly competitive admissions decision in your favor. 

Hearing from other important adults in your life helps admissions officers better understand how you might fit into their programs and contribute to their campus community. 

Universities may allow anywhere from zero to three recommendations, depending on the school, though many require at least one. We advise students to have two letters prepared for schools that allow an additional recommendation. 

Who should you ask? 

A letter of recommendation should be written by someone who can speak to your academic success, character, and/or major accomplishments. Your recommender should know you well and have interacted with you within the past two years. 

Most students ask high school teachers—ideally from core academic subjects. For those applying to competitive programs, it can also be helpful to have a recommendation from a teacher in a subject related to your intended area of study. For example, a prospective engineering student might ask an advanced math or physics teacher. 

Note: Thinking ahead about who you will ask early in your junior year allows you to build and strengthen that relationship. Consider taking on additional projects, attending office hours, asking thoughtful questions, and doing your best work in that class. 

If a school allows more than one letter, you may also consider asking a non-teacher. Long-time employers, volunteer coordinators, or mentors can sometimes make strong recommenders. Programs like UT Austin, which evaluate students based on fit to major, may especially value recommendations from sources beyond the classroom. 

When and how should you ask? 

While most teachers don’t write letters of recommendation until the fall, we advise students to ask before leaving for summer—ideally in the spring of junior year. This gives recommenders ample time to plan and gather any helpful information. 

Whenever possible, ask in person. A polite but direct request is typically well received. You might say: 
“Hi [teacher’s name], I’ve really enjoyed your class this year and was wondering if you would be willing to write me a letter of recommendation. I plan to study [intended major]. I also have a copy of my resume if that would be helpful.” 

If asking in person isn’t possible, email is perfectly acceptable—just be sure to proofread and maintain a professional tone. 

Offering a resume or “brag sheet” is helpful, as it provides additional context for your recommender. 

It’s also a good idea to follow up during the summer or early fall of senior year with a gentle reminder and updates on your application timeline. 

How does it work? 

When completing your application in the Common App, you can select which recommenders you’d like to assign to each school. The platform will then send a request directly to your recommender, who will upload the letter. In most cases, you will not have access to read it. 

You can choose different recommenders for different schools through the Common App. 

If your school uses SCOIR, you will request letters of recommendation through that platform instead. Be sure to check with your school counselor for specific instructions. 

Keep in mind that recommenders often have additional time to submit their letters after you’ve submitted your application. Once you apply, colleges will invite you to create a portal account where you can track whether your letters have been received.