1. Letter of Recommendation Etiquette

2. 1. Do not ask for a letter unless you really need one…
…Washington state schools such as UW do not require a letter
…if you apply separately to the Honors program at UW, Western, WSU, etc., you may need a letter for that
…many private colleges do require one or two letters

3. 2. If a teacher has agreed to write you a letter and you no longer need it…
…contact the teacher right away to let him/her know!
…if the teacher limits the number of recs he/she writes, this will allow another student to have a letter written by the teacher
…the teacher should not have to chase you down to find out whether you really need that letter or not…bad karma points!

4. 3. Select a teacher who has something to say about you, but be flexible.
If you rarely participate in class and just go through the motions, the teacher may not have much to say. A “glowing recommendation” is always preferable.
Colleges are looking for teachers who see growth in you, so typically you should ask one of your junior teachers – more often than not, a humanities teacher because of the time we spend with you.
However…teachers have limited time to write letters, so your first choice may say no…be prepared with several choices.

5. 4. Consider timing of your request.
Two weeks is the minimum amount of time you want to give a teacher to write your letter.
With everything on his/her plate, they need time to formulate the letter and often answer questions from Common App or other sources.
January 1 is a common due date, do not wait until the first Winter Break to ask your teacher; he/she may not have time while off campus.

6. 5. A hand written thank you note is an appropriate acknowledgment of the teacher’s time and effort
Hand written does not mean or “thanks” in the hall.
Teachers do not have to write letters of rec and do not get paid to do it. It is not a job requirement. Writing a good letter takes time, and they are using their free time when they could be watching their Netflix or walking the dog to do this for you.
Spending 5-10 minutes to write a thank you note is an appropriate response to the gift of a letter of recommendation.