You read my mind! Here's one of my favorite caveats: Plan your work, work your plan. No one plans to fail, but too many people fail to plan. Best time to get LOR's is after Jan. in the 10th, 11th, or even the 9th grade. At that time of year, teachers are no longer bombarded w/requests from desperate students. They'll have plenty of time to write a great LOR. Be sure to give them the name & address of the director of admissions at specific colleges you're applying to. Otherwise, they may address it, To whom it may concern; that's the same as, Dear Occupant, & we all know where that mail winds up! I've had situations where the teacher asked the student to write something & they signed it, but that was only after I enhanced it and it went back to the teacher for their final approval & signature.

Yes! You read my mind! Here's one of my favorite caveats: Plan your work, work your plan. No one plans to fail, but too many fail to plan. Best time to get LOR's is after Jan. in the 10th, 11th, or even the 9th grade. At that time of year, teachers are no longer bombarded w/requests from desperate students. They'll have plenty of time to write a great LOR. Be sure to give them the name & address of the director of admissions at specific colleges you're applying to. Otherwise, if they address it To whom it may concern; that's the same as Dear Occupant, & we all know where that mail winds up! I've had situations where the teacher asked the student to write something & they signed it, but that was only after I enhanced it and it went back to the teacher for their final approval & signature.

A student that plans ahead and requests a recommendation early will not need to 'speed up' the writing process for teachers. Teachers have many obligations and like to be given advance warning of at least two weeks to write a strong letter. It is when teachers are rushed by students who have neglected to give them enough time that recommendations are not as strong as they could be. Therefore, as early as your junior spring, students can consider what teachers to ask and request a letter before the summer break.

Students need to be genuine. Strategically planning for a great teacher recommendation is staged and insincere. A student ought to ask a teacher for a recommendation based on personal connection, engagement, and passion for the subject area. Furthermore, a recommendation letter that is considered 'great' by one college may be interpreted differently at another school.

It is important that the teacher who is asked to give you a letter of recommendation is one with whom you have a good rapport. It is not necessarily the teacher who gave you the highest grade. Sometimes, it is the teacher in whose class you struggled but who recognized how hard you worked who will be able to give you the best recommendation. In order to make sure that the letter is warm and genuine, take some time to sit down and talk to the teacher about what you do outside of class and outside of school. As a courtesy, make an appointment with the teacher and bring to that appointment your activities list and discuss with him or her what elements of your character and academic passion you would like to have showcased in the letter. Since you will be asking for two letters from different teachers, have each of them showcase a different aspect of you as a learner. Tell each of them who the other writer will be so that they can, perhaps, ensure that there is no duplication in their letters.

Providing teachers and counselors with enough time to write a letter is important, but if you are in a hurry, ask as early as possible and a friendly reminder can't hurt. Provide them with all of the forms ahead of time (envelopes, addresses, dates, etc.) and don't forget a "thank you"!

Having a prepared resume that you can provide a teacher with can ease the process for stressed out and overburdened teachers yielding a better letter of reference. Include relevant information that can help them write an informed letter.

While planning ahead is the best way to proceed with letters of recommendation, life doesn’t always allow for that. If you are in need of a letter quickly, there are steps you can take to ensure your recommender has the information to write the best letter possible under the circumstances. If you truly need a letter quickly, it would be a good idea to sit down face to face with the teacher and explain the situation. Be honest about why you are asking for this favor at this time and why you think this teacher is a good choice to write on your behalf. Depending on when you had the teacher in class, it may help to mention a project, paper, or assignment that will help the teacher remember your contributions to the course. If you aren’t sure how well the teacher knows you outside of class and/or you want to look good and prepared, bring a resume with you to the meeting. Once your teacher has agreed to write, provide a copy of the resume and mention anything you hope the teacher will include in the letter. Make sure your teacher knows what the letter is for; if it’s a particular school or scholarship, tailoring the letter to include specific, relevant information can increase its effectiveness.

One way that planning can increase the quality of a teacher recommendation is that you give your teachers plenty of time to write. If this a good teacher then you are definitely not the only one who is asking them for a recommendation, so they will have several to complete. Giving them time, a couple of weeks would be best, allows them to write a quality recommendation. Letting them know with a few days to spare probably means it won't be as good as it could have been.

Planning takes time and patience. First you want to begin talking to potential teachers about your goal of attending college. Even if you feel unsure, don't let this sway you from your decision to attend college. Keep a journal of your journey and keep track of teachers whom you are interested in providing a great letter of recommendation. Step in and say hello after you have taken their classes as teachers have many students and may forget that they had you in class. If your teacher has a blog, subscribe to it. If he or she participates in extra-curricular activities, see how you can volunteer to support the teacher. And lastly, make sure that you are a studious student paying attention to detail and doing the best you can in class. Participate and be active! All of the above can begin while in the 10th grade, but certainly by the 11th so that when you graduate, your teachers will have a lasting positive impression of you (the great student) whom they will gladly write a recommendation letter. Good luck! Keep a positive attitude!!!

With lives of teachers and students becoming increasingly busy, it is critical to plan. Failure to plan could jeopardize a needed letter of recommendation. To avoid any surprises, create a calendar noting when your letters of recommendation are due, typically two to three weeks before the application deadlines. Teachers have busy lives and the fall semester often brings extra responsibilities, therefore ask teachers early and include your deadline in your requests. If the teachers are not using an electronic format, providing an envelope addressed to the admission office will assist in expediting the process.

In the arena of sport, speed is often a desired trait. In the arena of college applications and selective college admission, thoughtful approaches are desired. Focusing on strategies and outcomes will be beneficial. Although speed is never suggested, you can streamline the process by identifying the teachers that will write the most effective and positive letters of recommendations. When teachers agree to write your letters, be prepared and have copies of your transcripts and activities sheet for their reference. Creating a calendar with deadlines will also keep the process moving in a timely direction. This process may not be fast, yet it will be effective and assist in realizing your admission goals.

It's always the same teachers who get asked for recs. Do your teacher a favor and give them plenty of lead time. I love my clients to request recs before summer vacation of senior year. This gives the teacher plenty of time and avoids the typical crunch time in the fall. Offer to sit down with the teacher and talk about your future, interests outside their classroom, etc. Or, create a brief resume since often the teacher only knows you from that class viewpoint. You are flattering a teacher by letting them know you valued the education you received from them. Teachers teach because they enjoy watching their students learn and mature. They are on your team, don't be shy about approaching them.

The best way to plan ahead with regards to letters of recommendation is to be an active and engaged student in class. Pay attention, ask thoughtful questions, and be a considerate student and classmate to your teacher and peers. If you are particularly interested in a specific topic -- ask your teacher for further resources. You don't need to "kiss up" to the teacher or pretend to have an intellectual interest. However, if you are genuinely interested in something -- try to pursue it -- regardless of any "extra credit" involved. Being an active participant in your learning process (rather than being a whiny grade grubber) is a great way to show your maturity and character in the classroom. By doing this, you will not only learn for enjoyment -- but you might also receive a great teacher evaluation!