Inboxes full of reminders that college applications are open, and classmates constantly asking each other if they started on their PIQs – these are tell-tale signs that college application season is amidst! One prominent way to enhance your college application is through a recommendation letter – a letter that is written by someone who is well aware of your academic or professional performance and provides a positive and detailed assessment of one’s character and skills to a third party (i.e., colleges, employers, etc..). Since students are already victim to the chaos and stress college applications tend to carry, it’s hard to navigate the realm of recommendation letters. Dr. Melissa Bishop, an AP Language teacher at San Gabriel High School, provides you with all the necessary information to ease your way through recommendation letters.
Bishop has been writing recommendation letters for students for years, finding joy in prepping her students for success. “Lots of teachers don’t like writing recommendation letters, which is really unfortunate,” Bishop said.
It may be intimidating to approach a teacher or adult figure with the intention of requesting a letter. “It’s best to start with an email, then a follow up that brings to the teacher highlights of your assignments. It helps the teacher to develop an opinion,” said Bishop. “It shouldn’t necessarily be a brag sheet since it’s already available on your college application.”
When deciding what to implement into a recommendation letter, Bishop is an expert. “A teacher [should] provide specific concrete detail about the qualities/activities and performance of students so that admission officers can develop a well rounded picture of the student,” said Bishop. Bishop takes into consideration what college she is writing to and what the program is, so she can tailor the letter to cater to the specific institution and its “vibes.”
Most importantly, “It is important to acknowledge that it is a big responsibility,” Bishop said. Writing a recommendation letter is a thoughtful and meticulous process – one that can leave its mark for a lifetime.