<p>Who are the best people to ask for recommendation letters from?
What people do colleges like to see write reccomendation letters?
Like a boss at work, manager of community service organization, teacher, principal?
Who are the best in your opinion?
Thank you</p>
<p>You want as much variety as possible while ensuring that these people know you well. Pick (a) teacher(s) that have excelled in their classes & have been the most engaged in. If you have had a teacher multiple times, they are likely a good candidate. You might want to select (a) teacher(s) from (a) class(es) that was/were challenging to you but you showed determination thus ultimately did well in. It’s of particular benefit to you if a letter writer is a graduate of the school you’re applying to. </p>
<p>Some schools will want a guidance counselor evaluation & letter, so obviously you must oblige, but unless you are very familliar with yours (I wasn’t) you probably don’t want to pick them for the schools it’s not required. </p>
<p>As for other writers, if you have worked with a boss for a considerable amount of time it may be fitting or them to recommend you, but I would only suggest this if there are no other academics who can. If you interned somewhere, especially at somewhere relevant to your career path, they might be a good choice if you had a good relationship with them. </p>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>
<p>You’re applying to join an academic community. Someone who really knows you academically (how you think, approach problems, articulate conclusions, etc.) would be most valuable, I think.</p>
<p>Someone who has known you in a work or volunteer setting also is an a position to comment on the quality of your work, as well as the personal qualities you brought to the job or the organization. A well-thought-out recommendation from such a person would be really valuable.</p>
<p>Letters from VIPs who’ve never met you but owe your cousin a favor are especially useless. Big names usually don’t impress adcoms. Then again, if you regularly babysat for the Obama daughters for several years, you should ask for a letter.</p>
<p>Who can write this for you?
[Writing</a> Recommendations | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs]Writing”>How to write good letters of recommendation | MIT Admissions)</p>
<p>Choose that person. Remember, the useful rec letter speaks about you, not the pedigree of the letter writer.</p>
<p>You’re applying to join an academic community. Someone who really knows you academically (how you think, approach problems, articulate conclusions, etc.) would be most valuable, I think.</p>
<p>Someone who has known you in a work or volunteer setting also is an a position to comment on the quality of your work, as well as the personal qualities you brought to the job or the organization. A well-thought-out recommendation from such a person would be really valuable.</p>
<p>Letters from VIPs who’ve never met you but owe your cousin a favor are especially useless. Big names usually don’t impress adcoms. Then again, if you regularly babysat for the Obama daughters for several years, you should ask for a letter.</p>
<p>Thank you all. This was really helpful.
I like the part about babysitting for the Obamas, Wordworker. haha</p>
<p>Will some colleges ask for letters from specific people? Like, “Please submit a recommendation from a teacher, a boss, a…” Or is it totally up to me whose letters I submit?
Like is what you said Ceilidh8 (will want a guidance counselor evaluation & letter). Is that common or rare?</p>