Luckily, high school counselors are most often very helpful and compassionate people, but they are very busy. You should take the initiative to get to know your counselor and lay the groundwork necessary for a timely and effective recommendation. A counselor recommendation is very much like the teacher evaluation, but it is usually submitted with (1) a profile of your high school (sample) that helps to put your academic performance in perspective, and often, (2) a copy of your transcript (sample).

The secondary school report can be very helpful. For example, the counselor letter can help explain "holes" in the transcript due to scheduling snafus, illness, family issues, and the like.

Here are some guidelines that should help you with this process.

Get the ball rolling junior year

Make an appointment with your counselor no later than the spring of your junior year to review your academic history, to make sure you are on track to meet all graduation requirements, and to talk about your college plans. Because high school counselors are extraordinarily busy in the fall, senior year is not the best time to make a good first impression.

Do your "homework"

Find out what information and materials your counselor needs in order to write a recommendation for you.

Each high school has its own procedures, and even within a school, different counselors may take different approaches to the recommendation process. Be prepared to be flexible if your counselor prefers to do things a different way from what you expected.

If your counselor is using a paper-and-pencil recommendation procedure, he or she will likely enclose a transcript and school profile with the recommendation; others will expect you to do this. Some counselors will mail recommendations; others will return them to you to mail.

Many high schools are using online options for counselor recommendations through the Common Application or Naviance. If this is the case, when you fill out your Common App online, you will be asked to supply your counselor's e-mail address, and he or she will be notified by e-mail that you are formally requesting a recommendation.

Most counselors will ask you to fill out a "Request for Recommendation" form that supplies them with the background material they'll need to write a good recommendation. Some welcome resumes and other supporting documentation, such as a copy of your essay. Think of this request not as a burden but as a great opportunity to provide input for your own recommendation!

Be polite and patient

Some high school counselors have developed excellent and efficient systems for handing their heavy caseloads, but even the very best counselors often have many more students than they can easily handle. Please be polite and patient at all times when working with your counselor.

Be prompt in the fall

Early requests will be more successful than later ones. After laying the groundwork in the spring, pick up the process in the fall as soon as you have received all your application materials.

Paper and pencil version

If your counselor is not using an online option, you will need to put together a well-organized packet of materials. Enclose a letter listing the colleges and due dates and include a resume (sample recommendation request).  

Paperclip each envelope to the appropriate school report form if you are using the college-specific forms. If you are using the Common Application, ask the counselor to fill out the Common Application Secondary School Report and make copies for each Common App school on your list. Ask your counselor to copy recommendations after they are filled out, in case they are lost in the mail.

Please note that you should check the box indicating you have waived your right to see the recommendation. This assures the college that the counselor responded freely and honestly.

Include all the forms your counselor requests plus addressed and stamped envelopes for mailing. Two stamps on each envelope would be a good idea.

Note that a few highly selective colleges have supplementary forms for the Common Application Secondary School Report Form.

Check your transcript

Occasionally students find errors on their transcripts. Check your transcript early in the fall so that errors can be corrected with time to spare. Often errors cannot be changed if too much time has elapsed. Be sure you know your high school’s procedures and timelines for ordering transcripts. Counselors usually send transcripts along with the school report. It's a good idea to send an official transcript in with your application as well, so that the college can examine your record even if the counselor report arrives late.

If it's available, send a school profile along with the transcript. This will help put your record in context.

Say "Thank You!"

Do this at the time of your request, and follow up with a thank-you note when the application process is completed. Let your counselor know your good news when you are accepted!

 

Printable Forms

Information Request Tracker

Application Checklist

Individual College Application Tracker

Essay Checklist

Interview Checklist

Recommendation Checklist

Junior Checklist

Senior Checklist