What makes a great guidance counselor letter of recommendation?

Applying to College
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<p>Schools do stuff differently, and mine lets us be involved with our counselor in writing this letter. I want to make the best of this opportunity. I know my counselor very well. </p>

<p>I know each letter of recommendation should bring something new to my app. So what should be counselor's letter add? No need to repeat my accomplishments, I'm guessing. Should it stress my course rigor?</p>

<p>I heard great letters include anecdotes. Does that apply for the counselor letter? For instance, an anecdote about how I found my own ways to learn what my school didn't offer?</p>

<p>Please assume this letter is going to HYP. Thanks in advance. </p>

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<p>see MIT writeup for examples at <a href=“How to write good letters of recommendation | MIT Admissions”>http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs&lt;/a&gt; </p>

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<p>Yes, vignettes/anecdotes. Must be memorable and unique to you. </p>

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<p>Other teachers could do the same thing. What should the counselor letter highlight about me? My course rigor?</p>

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<p>It’s likely that your suite of target colleges is not the first time the counselor has encountered. Knowing what you know now, why don’t you ask him/her what direction he/she thinks? The GC rec is the least important – mostly giving context details of your HS. 85% of GCs don’t even KNOW their students. You’re fine.</p>

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<p>@t26e4 oddly enough it is the first time she’s encountered these target colleges from a serious student. And my school is small, so I’ve known her well for a while. She let me know that she isn’t a very good writer and that I can ask for any edits/revisions I want, so I’d like to make the most of that opportunity. </p>

<p>So would you say the GC rec’s job is to give colleges an idea of how I did in the context of my school? </p>

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<p>@Karabekian‌ - Re: antecdotes:
One thing my daughter did was abstract specific teacher comments (mainly from teachers that were not her recommenders - to avoid redundancy) from past report cards and gave this to her GC. I’m guessing this made the GC’s job a little easier. </p>

<p>The GC should be saying you took the most rigorous schedule available.</p>

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<p>@arwarw. Yeah, I’ve heard of things like that. My friend’s private school makes them fill out a fat packet all about themselves. And yeah, my GC said she would check the ‘most rigorous’ options. I think there are drop-down menus for the schedule rigor questions. </p>

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<p>@Karabekian‌ I would not hesitate to give your GC and recommenders brag sheets with specific classroom examples. At the level of schools you’re applying to every single little piece of the total application package is vitally important IMO.</p>

<p>I assume by your prior posts that you have a feel for the general characteristics these schools seek: intellectual curiosity, high level of engagement, etc…</p>