How to get an A+ Counselor Letter
High school counselors are busy, and oftentimes have to write many recommendations...at time on students they don't even know.
If you were lucky, you may have been asked to fill out a form during your Junior year, otherwise counselors go off of whatever they think they know about you....why not make it easier on them (and beneficial for you)!
Let's make an important differentiation here: your HS counselor recommendation is NOT the same as your teacher recommendations.
A HS counselor recommendation is mostly facts that give context around the rest of the application. Not all colleges require this.
Here are a few questions you can answer and send to your counselor to help guide their recommendation:
According to Sara Harberson, previous counselor, you should ask:
1. How does the school environment of our high school shape you? In other words, what inherent challenges or benefits impact your education?
2. How does your family situation and background shape who you are right now?
3. What is the one thing you know you are really good at, even if you haven't had as much time to explore it yet?
4. How do you know #3 is what you are really good at? Tell a story about this.
5. How do you want to be remembered, not in adjectives but through nouns, by teachers and students at this high school?
If you can give this information to a counselor, you will receive a recommendation that is unique to you, and stands out in the pool of applicants.
Questions about the process? Reach out here!
Best of luck,
Melina Kazanas
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