How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation for College (With Examples)

Co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

As you fill out college applications, you’ll probably come across at least 1 request for a letter of recommendation. These letters help colleges see what kind of student you were, both inside and outside the classroom—but if asking for one sounds a little daunting, you’re not alone! In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of getting a letter of recommendation for college, from picking someone to ask all the way to following up with your thank you.

Things You Should Know

Ask a teacher or counselor that you have a good relationship with. If there isn't one, choose someone who gave you a good grade.
Ask at least one month before the application deadline.
In your request, remind them of your academic achievements, extracurriculars you are a part of, and any other achievements that you are proud of.

Section 1 of 6:

Who should you ask for a letter of recommendation?

Ask a teacher or a counselor who knows you well. You don’t have to be best friends with this person, but it’s helpful to choose a teacher or a guidance counselor who knows you and likes you. Think about the teachers or counselors that you’ve had conversations with, and choose someone who you think will be happy to write a letter for you.^{[1]
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- Experts recommend choosing 3 people: a counselor, a math teacher, and an English teacher.

Section 2 of 6:

What if you’re not close with any of your teachers?

If you’re not close with any teachers, ask one whose class you got good grades in. It’s okay if you don’t have any close relationships with teachers or faculty members at your school. Instead, pick someone whose class you enjoyed and got good grades in. That way, the teacher will have fond memories of you, and you can point out how well you did in their class.^{[2]
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Section 3 of 6:

When to Ask for a Letter of Recommedation

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Ask for a letter 1 month before the deadline. Give your teacher plenty of time to write their letter. Chances are, they have a lot of students asking them for letters of recommendation, especially if you’re a junior or senior. Try to talk to them 1 month in advance, or even earlier if you can.^{[3]
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Ask your teacher when they're not busy, like after class. You can send a brief email asking to meet with your teacher for about 5 minutes after class. Or, you can simply wait for all the other students to leave, and then ask your teacher if they have a moment to talk.^{[4]
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- Scheduling a time to chat is nice because you know your teacher won’t be rushed. That way, you can explain everything about your application and what you need from them without feeling like you’re bothering them.
- Email them something like: “Dear Mrs. Harding, Do you have time to chat with me for about 5 minutes after class on Tuesday? I’d like to talk to you about a letter of recommendation. Thanks, Jessica.”

Section 4 of 6:

Tips for Asking for a Letter of Recommendation

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Remind your teacher about your academic performance. Tell your teacher anything relevant they might want to include. Teachers see a lot of students, and there’s a good chance they may have forgotten some of the details of your academic career. Tell them about your GPA, which clubs or sports you’re in, and any academic honors or awards you’ve received in high school.^{[5]
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- It can feel a little awkward to talk so much about yourself, but don’t sweat it—your teacher will be grateful for the reminder, and it will help them craft their letter of recommendation.
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Answer any questions they may have. Your teacher may have specific questions before they start writing. Some teachers will have you fill out a questionnaire so they can accurately write about your time in high school. Whatever your teacher’s process is, do your best to follow it to make their job easier.^{[6]
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Explain how they can submit the letter. Some colleges ask for a printed letter in a sealed envelope, while others ask for an online submission. Let your teacher know how to submit and the deadline they need to submit by.^{[7]
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- Most colleges won’t let you read the letters of recommendation before they’re submitted. That way, your teacher can be honest about your academic performance and their experience with you.

Section 5 of 6:

Examples of How to Ask

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“Hi Mr. Robinson, thanks for taking the time to chat with me today. I was wondering if I could talk to you about a letter of recommendation.

I’m applying to the University of Washington, and I’m planning to major in mathematics. I thought you’d be able to write a great letter of recommendation for me since I took your Physics 104 class last term. My GPA right now is a 3.8, and I’m in the mathletes club and the debate club.

The application is due on June 30th, and you can submit it on the University’s website.”
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“Hey Mrs. Johnson, do you have time to chat for a sec? I wanted to ask you if you would write me a letter of recommendation for Penn State.

I’ve already been accepted through their early admissions program, but I’m trying to get a partial scholarship to major in English. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind talking about how I did in your Literary class last fall. Right now I’m on the student council and my GPA is 3.5.

If you could be done with the letter by July 5th, that would be great! You can put it in a sealed envelope and give it to me to deliver.”
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“Dear Mr. Jones,

As you probably know, I’m applying to colleges right now, and a few of the applications are asking for letters of recommendation. I wanted to reach out to you to see if you’d be willing to write me a letter of recommendation for Portland State University.

I plan to major in Biology, so I think the experience I had in your Bio 202 class will be great to talk about. The letter is due by May 20th, and you can submit it online.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you’d like to chat in person.

Thanks, Hank.”

Section 6 of 6:

Following Up After Asking

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Send your teacher a reminder 1 week before the deadline. Most teachers won’t need a reminder, but if your teacher is swamped or they have a ton of letters to write, they might benefit from a quick reminder. Send them an email reminding them of the deadline and how to submit.^{[8]
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- Typically, you only need to send your teacher 1 reminder. Emailing them too often can get a bit irritating.
- Email them something like: “Dear Mrs. Fravel, Just wanted to send a reminder that the deadline for my letter of recommendation is Friday, June 16th. Let me know if you have any questions, and thanks again! Best, Emily.”
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Thank your teacher in person. Writing a letter of recommendation takes time, and your teacher didn’t have to write one for you! Stop by their office and tell them thank you, and give them a small gift if you’d like.^{[9]
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- If you can’t make time to see them in person, send them a quick email instead.