WilsonDailyPrep - Online SAT Prep That's Personal

Most colleges require the submission of one to three recommendation letters, written by teachers, coaches or other professionals that know you as a student.  If you really want a teacher to put in a good word for you, a word of advice: ask early.

Teachers are happy to give out gold star recs (in most cases!)  However, come November, teachers are swarmed by high school seniors who need to send off college applications and meet deadlines.  If you’re asking for a letter of recommendation in the fall, you’ll probably get a somewhat specific but mainly “templated” response.  The take-home – don’t ask in the fall.

The best time to ask for a letter of recommendation is the end of junior year.  Approach your favorite teachers and let them know you’ll be filling out your applications and applying to this school and that, and would appreciate if they could write you a letter.  As classes are still in session, you and your wonderfulness will be fresh in their minds, and they can easily write about this wonderfulness.  Plus, they’ll have plenty of lazy summer days to really focus on writing that letter.  More focus means more insightfulness means more gushing compliments to give you in the letter.

Aside from asking well in advance for recommendation, make it easy on your teachers!  Have your forms filled out, your envelopes pre-addressed and pre-stamped, and a brief resume that highlights your strengths and extra-curriculars, ready to go!

Aside from passing the college boards, it’s also important to get into a college that’s “you.” You want a college that’ll motivate you to study and to succeed. The February newsletter briefly covered some tips on how to get into the college that best suits your personal, emotional, and academic needs. Passing the ACT or SAT exam is hard enough, imagine how hard it’ll get when you get into college and realize you hate the place, right?

The Campus

You step on campus. You look around. You smell the air. Then you ask yourself, does this “feel” right? Do you like that tree by the building? Or does it disturb your inner vibrations? It may sound a bit crazy, but you know what I’m talking about!

The Scene

Is this college a study school, or a party school? And what kind of school do you want to get into, an institute that focuses on academic performance or on frat parties? The article suggests you spend a weekend or a night on campus to see exactly how things go down.

The Faculty

Okay, this is a no brainer. You want to get into a school whose faculty is there for you. Imagine yourself needing to consult with your professor for your term paper and find that she or he is nowhere to be found. Bummer right? A college with unreachable staff and faculty is not worth going to.

The Casualty Rate

Wait, it’s not as scary as it sounds…well, not really. See how many students return after their freshman year. This gives you an idea as to how other students view the school you’re trying to get into.

These are the four points that are emphasized. Remember that a college is the stepping stone to your future career. You’re going to be there for at least four years; you should enjoy it.

WilsonDailyPrep helps you prepare to pass the college entrance exams. After you’ve passed the collegeboard exams, it’s up to you to find the school that fits you.