Letters of Recommendation/Secondary School Reports

Introduction

Most private colleges will require Secondary School Reports and Letters of Recommendation as part of their application process. The standard requirement is a Secondary School Report completed by a counselor or school administrator and two letters of recommendation written by teachers. Some schools will also accept an optional third letter written by non-school personnel (employer, supervisor, etc.)

Please note: UCs and CSUs do not require Secondary School Reports or Letters of Recommendation.

AHS counselors will complete the Secondary School Report for seniors as requested as long as they have met the deadline for request submission. The Report includes a transcript, rating scales, questions about academics/activities and a written comments. Counselors will also provide Mid-Year Reports at the end of the first semester as required. The Mid-Year Report consists of the 7th semester transcript, rating scales, questions about academics/activities, and mid-year update.

Counselors will provide school reports and transcripts for scholarships as requested. Please note, however, that counselors will not provide letters of recommendation for scholarships. For those letters, students should consult the recommender guidelines of that scholarship and select a recommender as appropriate.

Counselors require for a Secondary School Report Request:

Completed AHS Student Profile for College Admission Secondary School Reports 2024-25
Copy of Student's resume
Any deadlines or specific required information requested in the college or scholarship application
Online link to submit documentation (for example Common App, Sendedu, Universal App, school specific website, etc.)

Teachers may require:

Unofficial transcript, test scores if requested by teacher
If the teacher is sending letters on paper through the mail, provide stamped, addressed envelopes for each college and the Teacher Evaluation Form that is part of the application (download from
www.commonapp.org)
Any deadlines or specific required information requested in the college or scholarship application.

Deadline for Counselor Letters of Recommendation Requests/Packet Submission

October 1 at 3:45 p.m

The absolute and final deadline to submit a packet is October 1. Packets will not be accepted after that date. Counselors will NOT write letters of recommendation as part of the Secondary School Report for any student who submits their information after October 1.

What Teachers and Counselors Need to Write Your Letter of Recommendation/Secondary School Report

What your counselor needs

Completed Student Profile for College Admission submitted by the posted deadline.
Student's resume
Application online invitation/application information or paperwork at least three weeks prior to the application deadline
Any additional information as requested by the counselor upon receipt of the above if necessary.

Each teacher has their own policy regarding letters of recommendation. Check with the teacher first.

Steps for Requesting a Letter of Recommendation (Secondary School Report) from Your Counselor

There is a very specific process at AHS that students need to follow in requesting a letter of recommendation from their counselor. Please see the steps below:

Step 1: Determine if you will need a letter. CSU’s and UC’s do not ask for them. Private and Independent Schools often do as well as some out of state public universities. Many universities use the Common Application. Counselors are asked to fill out the Secondary School Report, which includes a letter of recommendation.

Step 2: Access the Packet entitled, “AHS Student Profile for College Admission Letters of Recommendation.” Please read it carefully and fill it out completely. Include all additional documents as requested. Turn it in EARLY. See Step 3.

Step 3: What is the due date for making such a request and turning in the packet? All requests and packets must be turned in to the counselor by October 1.

Please note that the earlier you turn in your packet and the more time you give your counselor to write the report on your behalf, the better. Ideally you will submit the packet to your counselor when you return to school in the fall. The absolute and final deadline to submit a packet is October 1. Packets will not be accepted after that date.

Step 4: Be prepared to meet with your counselor in case they have any questions to ask you after reviewing your packet of information.

The Etiquette of Asking for a Letter of Recommendation

Private colleges and universities often require letters of recommendations from their freshmen applicants. Most will ask for two letters of recommendation and a school report. The school report is completed by a counselor or an administrator. This report takes a more global view of you as a student and requires not just the report form but also a letter. The letters of recommendation will come from, depending on the school, either one or two teachers and/or community members. These letters are written from the point of view of you as a student in that particular class or activity.

When choosing who you would like to write your letters, focus on those individuals that know you the best. You may not have earned the best grade in the class but maybe that teacher knows a lot about you personally or about your love of that subject. If the recommender does not know a lot about you, make it your job to let that person know why you are choosing that college or that major. The more information you provide, the better your letter will be.

That said here are some points of etiquette when asking for a Letter of Recommendation for College.

1. Ask nicely. Politeness goes a long way. If you are rude or demanding, it might be reflected in the final product. Do not assume that someone will write you a recommendation without first asking. This means asking your teacher or counselor prior to listing their name on the Common Application.

2. Provide your letter writer with all of the appropriate information required

Forms, student section completed.
Online “link” to the application or Stamped and Addressed Envelopes for a paper application
Resume
Personal Statement/Autobiography
Other information as requested such as the Alameda High Counseling Department Student Profile for College Admissions and Scholarships for your Counselor

All of this information should be provided in an organized, neat fashion. Your letter writer should not have to print out forms, look up addresses, or provide postage.

If your schools use the Common Application, your recommender has the option of completing an online recommendation or a paper recommendation. If they choose to use the paper recommendation, you will need to provide the appropriate forms, including any supplement pages. If they chose to use the online recommendation, it is your responsibility to make sure that they have received the link to your account. The district computers have very strong filters which block many messages.

3. You should allow your letter writer at least 3 weeks to complete your letter. This time does not include weekends or vacations. Remember that you may have the two weeks of winter break to work on your applications but your letter writer is on vacation and may not have the opportunity to complete your letter.

4. Remember that it takes time to write letters of recommendation. Only ask for letters for schools that you are going to apply to. If you ask for a letter of recommendation and then change your mind, inform your letter writer. It saves time and embarrassment when the colleges call because they have received a letter of recommendation but no application.

5. Say “Thank you”. Thank you’s are always appreciated. Many schools have policies where teachers or counselors do not write letters of recommendations, thus putting students at a disadvantage when it comes to college applications. Many counselors/teachers will spend hours of their own time outside of the school day writing your letters. Always thank your letter writer for taking the time and effort on your behalf.

6. Keep in touch with your letter writer. They would love to hear which schools you got into!