Here is the Executive Summary PDF of my recent webinar on planning for pre-professional track admissions processes, given for BCC's College Advisory Committee.
If you're extremely short on time, here's the one-sentence version:
If you think you might apply on a pre-professional track--Engineering, Pre-Med or Business--it really pays to start planning early!
I'm excited to be giving a webinar this coming Thursday, May 8th, from 7-8 PM, hosted by the College Advisory Committee from BCC High School. For students and parents interested in pre-professional tracks -- engineering, pre-med or business -- I'll go over how these application processes can be unique, what to think about as you navigate high school, and key questions to ask as you embark on the search for the right college programs for you.
Anyone is welcome to join via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8687713971#success
I hope to see you there!
Hugh
Every counselor I know who has worked in a high school will tell you two things: recommendation letters can make a huge difference, and they’re not all created equal. Since they see all the application packets that are submitted by their seniors, recommendations included, they know firsthand that outstanding recs can push a student into the “accept” pile, and lukewarm letters can close doors, even for top students. I’ve also heard this from admitted students who have viewed their application files after getting in; they often report that their recommenders wrote with extraordinary detail and superlative support. There are no miracles in college admissions, but recommendations can be powerful things!
So, what makes recs stand out, and what can you do to make sure yours are as strong as possible? At this time of year, this question has two answers, one for current juniors—playing the short game—and one for current sophomores—playing the long game.
But First, Very Quickly, the Basics:
Many colleges ask for two teacher recommendations; some ask for one; some (like many schools in the University of California system) none at all
Ideally, teacher recommendations come from junior-year, core content teachers (math, science, foreign language, English or history)—though this is flexible
Ideally, one teacher rec is from a STEM subject and one humanities—some colleges directly recommend this, but it’s also flexible
Most colleges also require a recommendation written by your school college counselor, meant to address your overall high school experience (not just a single course experience, as your teacher recs do)
Many colleges will read an additional recommendation—these are often written by a coach, music teacher, boss or volunteer coordinator. Some brave colleges (like Georgetown) have no limit on the number of recommendations they’ll read (though Georgetown does suggest keeping it to a “single digit” number)
It’s a good idea to request letters from teachers no later than early spring, unless your school gives you different guidelines
So, What Can You Do?
A great recommendation letter relates a lot of detail about how you have shown engagement that goes ABOVE AND BEYOND in a particular class. This can mean many different things—from putting in dedicated work to improve your grade, to doubling down on a particular project, to showing up to office hours with thoughtful questions, to working independently to apply something you’ve learned. The key is that your teacher sees you doing things you were not required to do. When I taught English, going “above and beyond” could be as simple as a student telling me they had seen a movie that reminded them of a book we were reading in class. Even a quick comment like this showed me they were continuing to be thoughtful and inquisitive, even when it wasn’t a course requirement. Of course, there are many bigger things you can do—from finding an extracurricular opportunity where you can use your foreign language, to entering a robotics competition, to inviting a speaker to your school on a topic of interest.
If You’re a Current Junior:
You’ll likely request your letters soon, which means your first step is to decide which teachers you feel like you’ve made the best impression on this year. Use the process of asking your teachers for letters to remind them about your interests and, if it feels appropriate, a few points of pride. If you ask them in person, follow up with a thank you email that briefly lets them know things like what you’ve enjoyed most in the class, any projects or assessments you’re especially proud of, and—perhaps the thing that teachers love best—any ideas their class has given you about where you’re headed next. Keep this short but detailed.
From there, you have a few months left in this schoolyear to give them material for their letter. Don’t miss opportunities to simply share with them anything that’s on your mind. If you’re still in their class this semester, make sure to visit office hours. If you have a big paper or project coming up, make sure you do more than you’re asked, check in with your teacher frequently on your progress and efforts.
If You’re a Current Sophomore:
There’s no rush to figure out who you might want to ask for recs next year, but a few good questions to ask as you transition into junior year. If there’s a teacher you already know you connect with, and there’s a way to request being in their class, that’s a great thing to do. If you already have one or two academic subjects you enjoy more than others, it’s also smart to look out for opportunities to connect with teachers outside of class. Does the AP bio teacher head a club you could join? Does the history teacher lead a class trip you can sign up for? If an activity sounds enjoyable to you and gives a teacher a chance to get to know you better, this is a great choice to consider. But these ways of connecting with teachers are all extremely optional. What’s NOT optional is to ask yourself the basic question: How will I go above and beyond next year?
One Last Crucial Note:
Don’t forget to be kind! Performance in class is the main topic of most rec letters, but a teacher giving examples of your kindness, interest in collaboration and overall community spirit can also move the needle in college admissions. Some colleges even quantify this, literally scoring you numerically in categories like kindness, curiosity, resilience, etc. Being a good citizen in class—helping out peers, finding ways to assist your teachers, good teamwork—all of this can find its way into a recommendation letter, and help you get in (as it should!).