<p>App season means it's time to ask 2 teachers for college rec letters.</p>
<p>How do you politely ask them? </p>
<p>Please post the exact words you say to them. This thread will be extremely helpful to students who stutter when they are nervous. They can just rehearse the lines beforehand! :)</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>How I asked my teachers:</p>
<p><em>Awkwardly sidle into classroom</em>
<em>Pretend that I was just dropping by to see how Teacher was doing</em>
<em>Engage in awkward small-talk, awkward change of subject to main point</em></p>
<p>Me: Mr./Ms. So-and-so, I’m starting to apply to colleges, and I was just wondering if you’d be willing to write a letter of recommendation for me.</p>
<p>Teacher: Sure! <em>Gives instructions because he/she has done this before</em></p>
<p><em>Thank them profusely, wish them a nice day, and make a hasty, relieved exit</em></p>
<p>You might want to ask them if they have the interest and time to write you a strong letter of recommendation. That way they can bow out gracefully if they think they can only give faint praise. I would also think about what they could write that best supports your application “package”. If you are writing your essay about some leadership experience, for example, ask that teacher to remember to talk about the particular time you led your group project and knocked it out of the park. You want your application reader to get a strong sense of “you” and you can best help yourself by gently focusing the application with your essays and recommendations. Many teachers will appreciate a “brag sheet” given to them when they accept to do the LOR but you don’t need them both to talk about your NHS vice -presidency since you have that EC listed anyway. Rather, specific examples from the classroom are more helpful.</p>
<p>Depends on the teacher. One offered to write me one before I even had a chance to ask. For others I will usually stop by their room before school starts that day and just ask if they would be willing to write a rec. There is no one way to do it, it depends on the teacher…</p>