For many prospective students, the beginning of the college process begins not only with searching for colleges that fit their personal interests, but shoring up their own resume to better their chances of acceptance as well. While quantitative measures like GPA and test scores (SATs and ACTs) are an integral part of an applicant’s resume, personal factors like written essays and recommendation letters (rec letters) are also critically evaluated by admissions officers. But how important are rec letters actually in the admissions process?
“It’s hard to tell how much benefit a recommendation letter has on your resume because you’re not supposed to view them, and they entirely depend on the teacher,” senior Ryan Pethick asserted.
Rec letters, in essence, are reflections written about one’s character by instructors who have had the chance to learn about how students conduct themselves in an academic setting. Just like other personal factors, rec letters allow the admission officers to put the rest of an applicant’s profile into context and serve as a background for interviewers to evaluate both a candidate’s current achievements and future potential. But the significance of a rec letter lies specifically in their independence from the applicant, offering an unique frame of reference free of the applicant’s influence or bias, whereas other supplements like the personal essay aren’t.
“In my opinion stuff like grades and extracurriculars matter the most,” senior Andy Musselwhite stated, “but a good rec letter about your character can make all the difference between being accepted and denied.”
This is also why the majority of colleges, especially private universities, require at least one recommendation letter from an instructor to initially apply.
They provide insight into who students are as people; and admission officers prefer to have a comprehensive view of the applicant and want to get to know them as much as possible, rather than just looking at them for academics and test scores.
This is especially true for highly competitive colleges, such as Ivy League Schools, who receive tens of thousands of applicants each year with similar outstanding academics, where small details matter significantly more in determining who to admit.
To maximize the benefit that these recommendation letters can provide, it’s important to prioritize getting them as early as possible, preferably in junior or early senior year. By starting conversations with instructors about recommendation letters early, applicants can set both expectations on what they want to showcase about themselves, as well as give the instructor ample time to draft and write the letter in the first place. Identifying and choosing familiar instructors who are relevant to the applicant’s planned pursued major is also crucial. Recommendations from teachers of a relevant subject will hold more weight to their character in that field of study than a teacher who isn’t.
Recommendation letters go a long way in rounding out an applicant’s profile for the admissions process. With colleges becoming more and more competitive and consequently selective, the small details have a much more significant impact in deciding between prospective applicants, especially between high school graduates with similar academics. And even if they end up having no benefit, it never hurts to have them just in case.