Recommendations--how to get

[danielle]

How do you handle getting recommendations for your dcs when no college is yet on the horizon? Dd is at a science camp where she's getting raves from the instructors, and since we're planning to continue hsing thru high school, I'd like to have some of that on record. but these instructors aren't going to remember dd for 4 more years until it's time to apply to college. In fact, I bet I won't be able to find them even if she needs a recommendation for another summer camp.

 

So, how have you handled this?

Danielle

[Jane in NC]

How do you handle getting recommendations for your dcs when no college is yet on the horizon? Dd is at a science camp where she's getting raves from the instructors, and since we're planning to continue hsing thru high school, I'd like to have some of that on record. but these instructors aren't going to remember dd for 4 more years until it's time to apply to college. In fact, I bet I won't be able to find them even if she needs a recommendation for another summer camp.

 

So, how have you handled this?

Danielle

 

Two points: one is that I don't ask for recommendations for my son. He asks for recommendations when he need them. Given my involvement with an organization that hires teens, I have been witnessing a number of applications/recommendations that seem to be more parent driven than child driven. Evaluators will catch on to this.

 

Secondly, when my then fifteen year old son asked for a recommendation from a professor who taught a summer program two years beforehand, she was happy to comply. He emailed her his thanks and continues to stay in touch with an occasional email. I don't think that she'll decline writing another letter or three down the road for him because they have built a relationship.

 

Most jobs and colleges want recommendations mailed directly to them from the letter writer--not copies of letters from a portfolio. At least that is my understanding.

 

Jane

[Anne/Ankara]

Danielle, does the science camp issue a personalized "letter of evaluation" following the camp? You could possibly use that...

 

When my ds attended a science camp after 7th grade, and we were applying to a another science program that requested letters from "science teachers," we did ask the instructor of the summer science camp to write a letter of recommendation, which she did, which we used. So it is certainly possible!

 

But if you are thinking of when you dd will apply to university (several years from now) then probably more up-to-date recommendations will hold much more weight, so you can probably just hold off for now!

[angela in ohio]

I went to a High School planning meeting where the speaker suggested starting a file box when your dc start high school. In it, have one folder that says "Recommendations" and ask for one from each class they have completed well. Just drop it into the file and save it there. (She also recommended files for class descriptions, extracurriculars, etc. using the same idea of just accumulating them in one spot all the way through high school.)

[danielle]

The scenarios I am thinking of are the following:

 

Dd is currently at a science camp. Say, teacher (college or grad student) thinks dd is the best scientist she's ever seen, and better than her fellow university students, hard working, inquisitive, well prepared, yadda-yadda. Dd wants to apply to another highly competitive science camp next summer. By that time, counselor can't be found, or doesn't remember dd as well after 3 more sessions of same camp. Even if counselor can be found by next year, memory has begun to fade--I've always noticed recommendations are MUCH stronger when immediate.

 

Scenario two--college apps roll around, and sure dd has other recommendations. but if the camp or class was specifically focused on the topic of interest (say dd has really decided to specialize in widget biology) and this is the only specific camp that she ever took that was focused on that narrow topic, even later on such a recommendation may have weight. Or dd studied with one specific highly prestigious prof at some camp or seminar, never to be repeated in the next 3 years.

 

In both cases it may be difficult to get the recommendation 3 years from now. Also, evaluation letters generally contain positive/negatives, and a recommendation nowadays needs to be only positive--as a parent, I want to know pluses and minuses, but I don't intend to send any minuses along to colleges!

 

Further input?

Danielle

[Leah]

The scenarios I am thinking of are the following:

 

Dd is currently at a science camp. Say, teacher (college or grad student) thinks dd is the best scientist she's ever seen, and better than her fellow university students, hard working, inquisitive, well prepared, yadda-yadda.

 

--I've always noticed recommendations are MUCH stronger when immediate.

 

In both cases it may be difficult to get the recommendation 3 years from now. Also, evaluation letters generally contain positive/negatives, and a recommendation nowadays needs to be only positive--as a parent, I want to know pluses and minuses, but I don't intend to send any minuses along to colleges!

 

Further input?

Danielle

 

If case #1 is your current situation, then I would certainly ask that teacher for a letter of recommendation now. It can't hurt and if the student is truly that far above everyone else, it should be an easy letter to write.

 

Recommendations are much stronger when immediate so that can help or hurt you here-a great letter, but written a number of years before college admissions. The college will probably note the time elapsed so this type of letter won't be too helpful unless it notes something noteworthy that the student has done.

 

And Jane has some great points-as one who writes letters for students, I would rather be asked by the student. A parent who really, really wants a letter is far different from a student who really values my time and input.

 

And I find it is hit or miss on whether a college wants the letters sent directly from the writer to the college.