Why recommendation letters are critical for Harvard and Stanford admissions

Letters of rec are probably the most underlerveraged (and consequently underutilized) tools in the Ivy League admissions process.

There’s a basic reason why - students are afraid of their bosses/teachers/coaches. They’re afraid of going for what they really want - a strong, positive letter of rec that highlights achievements and re-affirms the student’s strengths.

Part of the answer is to just get over yourself. Be courageous. That’s something that this post can’t be able to help you acquire.

But I can help you understand the process. And following these steps will greatly increase your chance of getting the exact letter of recommendation you’d hoped for - one that Yale, Princeton, and the best colleges around the globe will enjoy reading.

Here are the steps:

1. Identify the teachers/coaches who a) know you well and b) you were the strongest performer in their classes. These recommenders will always write the best letters. Hopefully they’re the same people that sponsor afterschool activities in which you participate. If not, approach some of them to sponsor new clubs that you’d be starting.

2. Have your parents meet that teacher. I didn’t do this, but in retrospect I should have. Teacher-parent conferences are a smart way to strengthen the student-teacher relationship, and a great way for parents to indirectly express their hopes and dreams (and their kid’s wishes) to the teacher. Just make sure this type of meeting is friendly and casual. I actually remember reading teacher recommendations which subtly referenced controlling parents…these don’t go over too well with your strategy to get into Harvard

3. Prepare a packet addressed individually to that teacher. In a letter, talk about the following things:

-What Ivy League schools and why - in more than just 2 sentences

-Why you want that teacher to write you a recommendation

-A few “clear wins” that you’re very proud of, and any accomplishments that were either in that teacher’s classes or sponsored activities

-What your overall story is for the Ivy Leagues, and how what your efforts help build on that story

4. Prepare a brag-sheet. This should be the exact same one for Common Applications. Attach this for additional context

5. Schedule a meeting with your teacher in-person when asking them to write the referral. In this talk, make sure you cover similar topics to Step #3 - why you’re applying to Ivy League schools, why you think you should be accepted, what your story is that you’re telling Admissions Committees, and why you thought they’d be a great recommender. Don’t simply ask them to write a recommendation, smile politely, and walk out of the room. This in-person discussion is crucial to providing your teacher more data about your particular situation

6. GIVE YOUR RECOMMENDER PLENTY OF TIME TO WRITE THE REC. A week is too short. 4 weeks is perfect. This is yet another example of how early planning is required for Ivy League admissions

7. Followup politely. If you haven’t heard a response from Mrs. Davidson or Mr. Gonzalez and there’s 4 weeks before application deadlines, politely inquire about the status of your rec

8. Thank them profusely! Give them a little card and/or gift to express your appreciation. After all, this may not be the last time you’ll ask for their help and they’ve just done something for which they receive nothing in return

Step #5 is extremely important. Do everything else wrong, but as long as you execute Step #5 well, your recommender will have the info they need to write you something thats personalized and unique. After reading 1000s of these letters, you can quickly spot the genuine, heartfelt ones versus the generic ones.