Hello all, im nearing the end of my junior year which means college apps are starting soon, but im stuck with who to ask for letters of recommendation. I was a new student at my high school this year, which puts me at a disadvantage since not very many teachers know me. I am also shy and quiet in the classroom, which i dont think helps very much either.
Since most of the schools im applying to require 1-2 letters, i was thinking of asking my AP psych teacher because im planning on majoring in psych, and he also wrote me a letter for a summer program. My second choice is my creative writing teacher, because im in her class and im also the officer of the creative writing club and i founded our school’s literary magazine, so i think she’d be a good one to write about these leadership positions and such. However, i was just elected officer to the club like a week ago, and the magazine wont start officially until next year, and school ends in 3 weeks so theres not much i can do regarding leadership until next fall for the club, which leads me to my first question: WHEN should i ask for these letters? I think im going to ask my psych teacher before the schoolyear ends bc i wont be in his class next year, but im not sure how these letters work. Im currently dual-enrolled in two psych classes and im doing a psych summer camp, but would it be pointless to ask him to write it now, before i even attend the camp and finish my college classes? Because writing that im in the classes is all fine and dandy, but wouldnt the letter be stronger if he could write that i actually passed those two college classes?
I know asking them in the fall is kinda risky because fall is so busy with applications and since im applying early i dont want to risk the chance of getting a poorly written letter bc they didnt have enough time to write it. However, i dont want to email them over the summer and ask either bc i feel like that’d be intruding on their summer vacations. Also, some of my colleges dont use the common app which means ill have to submit the letters in a different way, and i dont want to submit the letters before the rest of my application.
How should i ask? Should i approach them in person, or should i just email them over the summer?
My third concern is my counselor. Again, since im new, she doesnt know me very well, and most of my schools require a letter from a counselor as well. Should i make an appointment to talk with her before the school year ends, or should i wait until the fall? I heard that our counselors write everyones letters over the summer but im not positive if thats true or not, but it makes sense, and if it is true, i think i want to meet with her before summer starts. I just want the best letters i can get but being a new student makes it all the more difficult.
Also, what do they even write in rec letters? Should i sit down with my teachers/counselor and talk with them about my accomplishments, what schools im applying to, and what i want them to say? Am i allowed to read the letters when theyre finished to see what they wrote, or is that considered rude??
Sorry this is so long, i just have so many questions!