Do parents ever write letters of recommendation for their student’s college application? I thought not, but I saw a post on a liberal arts college admissions blog that alluded to letters that parents send in on behalf of their children. Has anyone heard of colleges that would welcome letters like this??
I had to write one for my DD when she applied to Davidson in 2006.
I suspect that some students who are homeschooled might have a parent write a recommendation, since the parent is also the teacher.
Homeschoolers write the guidance counselor letter, but we also have to provide rec letters from outside instructors. I’ve heard of colleges that ask for letters from parents of traditionally schooled students, but I don’t know how many ask for them or if any would consider unsolicited ones.
Parental statement (or letter) is required for most boarding and private high schools. Never heard of this being used for anything in colleges. I really doubt that they would take the parents letter seriously. If you sent them into a school without being asked, I think it could probably harm the student more than it could help.
@thumper1: PMing you.
I know two who did. Their kids weren’t accepted into any of their dream or reach schools though both were good students. I think adcoms saw it as helicopter parent and dependent child dilemma.
When my D applied to Smith last year, they had an optional parent recommendation letter.
Hampshire also asks parents if they want to write a recommendation letter.
I agree that sending one where it wasn’t asked for or in place of a regular application recommendation would be odd.
I wrote parent recs for two colleges. One was a top 50 private university, the other a public Uni. One specifically asked for a parent rec, the other said any relative. I am sure they helped, but I do enjoy writing, so I think I did a good job:-) D got into both.
@“yalie 2011” there are schools that ASK for a parent recommendation.
College requirements differ. We’re homeschoolers, so I’m my children’s guidance counselor and (per state regulations) main instructor. All colleges required that I submit a guidance counselor letter for my son, but most allowed us to send a couple rec letters from outside instructors as well. I’d recommend sending whatever colleges ask for and not burdening them with things they don’t.
I noticed on the common app, for “Other Recommender” it will clearly state what type of recommender each specific school is looking for. Sometimes parent is included as a choice, sometimes not. Where included, I think it’s perfectly fine in that scenario.
However, in the end, for the “other recommender” category, we felt like a recommendation would be more valuable coming from someone other than a parent, so D chose a teacher (not her teacher) that runs a club she is in.
When I applied to college many many years ago, Reed required a parent’s letter. I recall that my Mom wrote one for me. It was interesting and revelatory. I wish I had a copy today! Reed no longer requests one. And none of the colleges to which my children applied (13 in all) required one. It’s not common.
Smith suggests a letter from a parent. I wrote one and I think it was well received. (As was my daughter’s application; she was accepted.)
SUNY Geneseo asked for one when my D applied. I don’t know if it still does.
University of Rochester provides a Family/Community Recommendation Form (after students apply) that can be filled out by a parent (“someone who has had an impact on your life”).
While it may not carry much weight, it at least shows the school that the parent A) knows their child applied there (!), and B) is willing to spend a few minutes in support of the application.
@techmom99 Yes, SUNY Geneseo still asks for a parent letter, as does Smith College (already mentioned) as my D applied to both this year.