Begin asking teachers for recommendations as soon as you know the schools to which you will apply for admission. Give each teacher enough time to write a careful and considered letter of recommendation. As a general rule, look at the due date of the college application and start asking for recommendations about five to six weeks before that date.
Make a list of the teachers you wish to ask for recommendations. Most university applications require three letters of recommendation. Select teachers in core subjects who know you and the quality of your work well.
Schedule a private meeting with each teacher, either during study periods that match the teacher's availability or after school. Prepare what you plan to say in advance.
Save the teacher time by filling in all the parts of the recommendation form that do not require the teacher's input, such as your name, address, name of the high school attended, etc. College application packets contain forms for teacher recommendations. The College Board suggests that you check the box that waives your right to see the teacher's recommendation, as this will give the letter more credibility in the eyes of admissions officers.
Place a stamp on the envelope provided with the form, or fill out an envelope with the address of the college's registrar office and put a stamp on it.
Attend the meeting as scheduled. Take the partially completed letter of recommendation and the envelope with you. Educational consultant Judy Zodda also recommends bringing a copy of your résumé and a paper or project that you completed in the teacher's class, to help remind her of your work.
Tell the teacher that you would like him to write a letter of recommendation for you to attend a specific college or colleges. Let him know your intended major, your career goals, why you wish to study that subject, and what coursework and accomplishments have prepared you for university study. According to ApplyIvy.com educational consultant Susan Joan Mauriello, this information will help the teacher write a letter specific to your academic strengths and goals.
Tell the teacher why you are asking her for a letter of recommendation. College counselor Steve Schwartz suggests discussing what you learned in her class and why you would value a letter of recommendation from her.
Give the teacher the letter of recommendation form, envelope, your résumé and any papers or projects that you've brought. Let him know the due date of the application.
Thank your teacher at the end of the meeting. About two weeks before the letter's due date, Schwartz recommends politely reminding her about the approaching due date.