许多大学在申请过程中需要一封或多封推荐信. The reason is because the perspective of those with whom you learn, work, interact, and serve is helpful in understanding your strengths, character, and potential. 通常这些信件会给我们从你的文章中得不到的关于学生的一些有价值的见解, activities list, and transcript. Descriptions about your work ethic, your willingness to ask for help when you need it, the ways that you stepped up as a quiet leader, the ways you learned from past stumbles, etc. are all valuable.
知道如何使用这些字母是很重要的，因为它可以帮助你选择合适的人来写你的推荐信. 让我们通过一些建议和最佳实践来确定推荐人并请他们为你写信.
- It’s not really about how impressive the recommender is, it’s about how well they really know you. It’s common to see students submit a letter from a public figure, but also glaringly obvious when that person doesn’t know you well at all. The letter sounds very generic and does no benefit to the student. We are not so interested in how impressive your network is, 相反，我们想听到的是能证明你的优势和未来潜力的人的意见.
- Make the ask well in advance of deadlines, and ideally in the timeframe of your interaction with this person. 我们建议你在大学申请截止日期前至少提前4周联系. 对于一个人来说，写一封信是一件很繁重的工作，而成年人是忙碌的人. 给他们足够的时间，并在临近截止日期时给予温和的提醒或签到. If you are early on in your college search, 当你和那些对你评价很高的人打交道时，要强烈考虑索要推荐信. For example, if you really clicked with a teacher in the fall of your junior year, 即使你还不知道你要申请的是哪一份工作，也不要害怕索要求职信. 当他们的记忆清晰时，信就会写得更好，更容易.
- 你的推荐人是否将推荐信直接提交给你的每一所大学, or deliver to you in a sealed envelope for you to send in. 推荐信的内容应以学生没有以任何方式影响的诚信撰写. 如果推荐人希望在学生写完信后与学生分享一份副本, that’s up to them. But, 招生顾问可能会厌倦由学生提交的信，而不是由推荐人直接提交的信.
- Ask someone who knows you more recently. 现在的你可能比中学时的你更成熟、更成熟. 虽然你可能和12岁时认识的人关系很好, colleges are interested in who you are now.
- 大多数大学都需要你的学校辅导员和老师的来信. 如果只需要一封信，你会想要提交一个拥有最全面观点的人. 一些学生发现他们的学校辅导员不是特别了解他们. Sometimes school counselors are assigned to hundreds of students, 因此，与每个人建立关系是不可能的. 我们不会因为有辅导员的推荐而惩罚学生，因为辅导员的推荐表明他们因为工作量而不太了解学生. If this is true for you, 然后，你可能会想要发送至少另一封推荐信，由一个能更深入、更全面地介绍你的人写.
- Perhaps don’t ask the teacher who gave you the A+. 我们经常从那些对你来说更具挑战性的课程的老师那里得到更好的见解. These teachers know how you respond to setbacks, how and when you ask for help, how you use your resources - all important experiences and qualities.
- Consider quality versus quantity. 注意你申请的每所大学需要多少封推荐信是很重要的, but you may opt to send additional letters beyond this. You may think more equals better, but this is not the case. 那么，什么时候可以选择发送额外的推荐信呢? 最好的做法是，当这些信件提供了与要求的信件/推荐信不同的见解时，这样做. For example, if you have been promoted to a shift supervisor at your part-time job, 你的老板可能与你的顾问和老师有不同的见解.
- 不要让你的推荐人简单地重复你的活动清单或成绩单. We see those items in your application and don’t need them relisted here. What we really want is the story behind how you’ve accomplished things, how you’ve overcome challenges, what assets you have, and how you contribute to your various communities.
Choose your recommenders wisely using this advice, 不要害怕用这篇文章来帮助他们理解他们的话有多重要，并帮助指导他们写信. Never hesitate to reach out to us directly with any specific questions or for more guidance!
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