By Suzan Reznick, College Connection Recommendation Letter for College! So choose teachers who know you well and like you! Pick teachers who have taught you either junior or senior years. English teachers tend to write well, so they are usually a good bet. An academic teacher who has also known you outside the classroom (through clubs or sports teams) is generally an excellent choice. Ask a teacher who respects you and can testify to some of your intangible qualities, i.e. intellectual curiosity, academic passion. The best teacher to ask is not necessarily the one who gave you the highest grade. Sometimes, picking a teacher in a class where you have struggled and persevered, might be an excellent option. Ask your teachers if they can accommodate you as soon as possible. Do not delay, if they are already overwhelmed with requests for recommendations from other students, they may turn you down. Carefully prepare in advance a packet of all materials that they will need to write a detailed and complete evaluation, you might want to include a: • Resume – that provides detailed information about your activities, jobs, and academic achievements. • Evaluation Forms- you should complete the waiver and basic information portions before giving the forms to your teachers. • Addressed and stamped mailing envelopes -it might prove helpful to write on the bottom left corner of the envelopes the application deadlines, unless of course your school will be submitting all their forms online. • A thank-you note– given the time and extra effort that you are asking them to make on your behalf, some expression of your gratitude is a very good idea. Finally, after a few weeks time, devise some tactful way to ask your teacher if they have finished your evaluations in time for the deadline!