A little known secret in the application process: One generally overlooked part of any application by students is the guidance counselor recommendation letter. Almost all schools require guidance counselors to submit a rec for each student, in addition to the regular two letters that students submit from teachers. Guidance letters are generally very generic; how could one guidance counselor write great letters for all of his/her 50+ students? For the most part, barring any serious academic or conduct violations, a guidance rec can never hurt an applicant – but it can seriously improve one’s chances if it is well written. A glowing guidance rec letter demonstrates to schools that a student is extremely well known and respected in the school, not merely a quiet over-achiever in the back of the classroom. Because glowing guidance recommendation letters are so rare (guidance counselors will generally only embellish 5-10% of their letters), such a letter is extremely valuable. Some Admissions Hero tips for securing that letter: 1) Build a relationship with your guidance counselor. This does not mean you need to constantly invent problems to get to know your guidance counselor; rather you should stop in his/her office every once in a while and just chat. As long as you are friendly and not interrupting the day, guidance counselors appreciate it when students take interest in their daily schedule. Aim for at least three visits a month. 2) Regularly update your counselor on your achievements. Whenever you have an outstanding achievement or win an award, you should always stop in and tactfully tell your counselor about it. If he/she knows what you do, his/her rec will supplement all of the achievements on your app and add legitimacy to what you tell colleges you do. In addition, counselors will begin to become genuinely excited when you achieve; you become the student they’re rooting for, and that translates into a great rec during the college admissions process. 3) Explain to them early in your relationship your goals and aspirations for colleges and beyond. Often, guidance counselors have no idea what a student wants to pursue, or even specifically what colleges they are applying to when writing the rec. If you have explicitly told your guidance counselor which school you want to attend, and constantly update them on how you are working towards acceptance, they will be able to better craft your letter to match your goals. For example, if you are only applying to undergraduate business programs, you will have a much better letter if your guidance counselor expresses how focused you are on a business career and how your extra-curriculars throughout high school have helped you develop your passion for business.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 20:41:53 +0000
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