F03: Beyond the Form Letter: Recommendations that Get Noticed Amanda Ashmead, School of Science and Engineering, Texas Mollie Weinstein-Gould, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Sara Urquidez, Academic Success Program Dallas, Texas
What We ll Cover How letters are used by colleges and universities and why they are important Tips for how to write effective recommendation letters and how to train others to write them Best practices for developing a culture of strong letter writing within your school and/or district
Why Go Beyond the Form Letter? To help counselors and teachers write better recommendation letters To prepare counselors to build a school culture of effective recommendation writing Because of the students
From the Admissions Office: The Why & the How Things we want to learn: How a student works with faculty How student works with peers How student engages in the learning process How student impacts the classroom How student overcomes difficulties How student compares to peers and compares in your career How letters are used: Admission decisions Scholarship decisions Honors programs To go beyond the numbers Tips: Should be student-specific Should be specific to the work in your classroom Tell anecdotes, give examples
From the High School: The What & the Why From the Counselor First opportunity to advocate for a student Tell the story only you can tell about a student Explain why a college wants to accept a student not why a student deserves to be there Last opportunity to communicate community context From the Teacher Help the admissions officers they are filling niches, show which niche this student fills A good match is best for everyone Promote the student don t just certify them
Writing Effective Letters: Say No I am writing in support of Student s consideration for admission. Student transferred from Other School where he maintained a GPA of 3.65. I currently have him in two classes and he has not distinguished himself in any way. This is good and bad; it means he is not in the top 1% of the class nor has he really screwed up. He is an average student with a good work ethic. His resume indicates that he has been working odd jobs at convenience stores and machine shops to pay his way. I would surmise that he could really use the financial support you would provide. I am recommending Student for consideration.
Writing Effective Letters: Avoid Resume Regurgitation // Short is Okay, Even Good! Intro (See transcript) Having selected Student as most outstanding student in both my AP World History and Dual Credit US History Courses, I could easily devote a good portion of this letter to his impressive academic skills and achievements. But that s what transcripts are for. Paragraph #1 (Integrity) In an age where honor students are separated by small fractions of a point in academic standing, Student has brought grading errors to my attention when he knows it will cost him points. Paragraph #2/3 (Leadership/Humility) Fellow students seem to gravitate towards Student for counsel and encouragement. He is not the gregarious type, but his calm measured, and self-assured style inspires confidence among his peers He s the perfect role model Rather than being a selfpromoter, Student is constantly deflecting credit to others He s the consummate team player Conclusion (Qualification) Over my fourteen year teaching career I have rarely, if ever, encountered the high caliber student and person that is Student.
Writing Effective Letters: Discuss Attributes that Transfer to College "Last year, Student was one of three students to take dual-credit government as a Junior. In the class, she completed her community project by delivering food to the homeless men living in the Dallas Area Tent City. Although Student was expected to do this once and then write a paper about her experience, Student didn t stop there. She not only wrote an extensive research paper complete with graphs and several probability models, she also continued the tradition of giving food to the homeless on her own, without the help of her church, an organization or friends. Student did not want to include this in her college applications because she felt that it was not something extraordinary to report, but I disagree. No other student at XYZ High School saves up their own money to buy groceries for others, let alone for homeless men. Student is concerned that a lot of homeless men are not able to eat healthy, so for this reason, she makes sure to provide them with fresh fruit and non perishable items low in sugar and sodium. Student hopes to continue this tradition wherever she goes to college."
Writing Effective Letters: Tell the Story Only You Can Tell "As a school, we have not been good for Student. She s an amazing young woman bright, empathic, friendly. However, nothing in her temperament really fits well with this geeky STEM environment, and the fact that she s done so well here is a testament to her ability to adapt and make the best of almost anything." "Remarkably, she s come through it intact. She s literally the best student in the class when it comes to being willing to ask a question that needed to be asked she s like a canary in the coal mine for when the class is starting to lose the thread of a lesson. She worries about her academic ability though I promise you, by any normal yardstick, it s fine but she s remained a good worker, always willing to give every assignment her best effort. She s cheerful, and she genuinely likes her classmates she s made real friends out of people she has nothing in common with, and openly admires those who are much more successful than she. "
Writing Effective Letters: Remember What Average Means Three Million students graduated high school in 2015 That October, 46% were enrolled in a 4-year school. (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Advanced Placement (College Board data 2014 Report to the Nation) Only 1 in 3 seniors takes at least one AP exam Only 1 in 5 seniors scores higher than a 3 on any AP exam. Around 300,000 1 in 10 take AP Calculus (2016 College Board data) College Readiness Standards SAT (new): EBRW-480, Math-530 ACT: English-18, Reading-22, Math-22, Science 23. 28% met all 4
Best Practices: Tools that Develop a Culture Bring in Admissions Officers for professional development Helps teachers understand the importance of recommendation letters in the process and what colleges are looking for in letters Ask for feedback from Admissions at the end of the admissions cycle Foster an environment where teachers feel comfortable asking you for feedback Remember: You are the expert you can offer constructive feedback to others about their recommendations Recognize good recommendation letters / writers Encourage collaboration between teachers to share recommendations Help teachers understand what they can write about
Best Practices: Tools that Help Everyone Share Senior Survey answers with all staff members Provides more insight than a resume, allows staff members to have more context while writing Ask thought-provoking questions that encourage students to share more rather than list more. Allows you to prioritize recommendation writing
Best Practices: Managing Large Case Loads Don t be afraid to ask questions! Why are they asking you? What is the Letter of Recommendation for? Not every letter is time-sensitive; not every letter has to be written Who should they be asking? Help students find a better option if one exists How should students be asking? Teach students to effectively ask for letters of recommendations
Best Practices: Managing Large Case Loads Know Your Deadlines // Prioritize Your Deadlines Identify School Trends and Organize Your Workflow Accordingly Adhere to a schedule, but know that it s written in pencil Recommendation letters can t always be on-demand Communicate a clear process to students and families before the frenzy begins Use But Don t Abuse Your Network No one needs to be a hero Approach your faculty and staff Coaches, club advisors, and favorite teachers all have insight to share ask for information Buy yourself time when necessary Don t use an eighteen-year-old s brain to determine their future and your response the adults involved should (and mostly will!) understand
Q & A Amanda Ashmead, School of Science and Engineering, Dallas, TX aashmead@dallasisd.org Mollie Weinstein-Gould, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA molliew@upenn.edu Sara Urquidez, Academic Success Program, Dallas, TX smiller@aspdallas.org