GUIDE TO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

• Ask you (preferably in-person) if you are willing to write a recommendation
• Provide you the completed Teacher/Advisor Letter of Recommendation Request form with any supplemental documents they have opted to include (students can find this on The College Application Process page of the CCC website under "Letters of Recommendation")
• Add your information to generate emails to submit the letter electronically (ex: Common Application or directly to institution)
• Allow you 3-4 weeks to write the recommendation

• You reserve the right to decline to write a recommendation (ex: do not know student well enough, do not have positive things to write, the student requests last minute, or you do not have the time/capacity to write another letter)
• Direct students to the VHS Counseling website or College & Career Center website regarding the process and Teacher/Advisor Letter of Recommendation Request form
• Be sure students have waived their rights - this means they will not be able to read your letter after it is submitted; you will be able to see if a student waived rights within the Common Application and can ask students to change this (click on a student and at top by their name it should say "Student Info FERPA waived")
• Recommendations should remain confidential. You will submit recommendations directly to the institution or scholarship, not hand it over to the student.

VHS Letterhead (make a copy)

Quick Guide to Submitting Rec Letters

Guides for the actual writing of the letter:

• MIT's How to write good letters of recommendation
• College Essay Guy's How to Write a Recommendation
• Khan Academy's video Elements of a strong recommendation letter