Letters of Recommendation for Princeton

Hey everyone! Princeton is my dream school, but this whole letters of recommendation thing has me stressed. Does anyone know the specifics for Princeton? How many, who should they come from and any special instructions?

Sure, no problem, happy to help clarify the letters of recommendation process for Princeton. For Princeton University, you'll need two letters from teachers and one from your school counselor.

1. Teacher Recommendations: You need two teacher recommendations. 'Teacher' is defined as an adult who has taught you in an academic subject in high school. Ideally, these letters will come from teachers who taught you during your junior or senior year of high school, as these teachers will be able to speak most about your most recent academic growth—you have likely demonstrated your highest level skills and work ethic to these teachers, as many students are constantly improving throughout high school. When deciding which teachers to ask, you should consider not only which teacher knows you the best, but also whether the subjects they teach align with your intended major or career. For instance, if you plan on studying physics, a recommendation from your physics or math teacher may carry more weight.

2. School Counselor Recommendation: The school counselor recommendation (also known as the "secondary school report") should come from your high school counselor, and it typically provides the admissions committee with contextual information about your school and your performance within it. Your counselor can shed light on things like your school's curriculum, grading scale, mission, and student body, as well as your personal characteristics, progress, and involvement compared to other students.

Regarding deadlines, Princeton states that your letters of recommendation are due by the same deadline as your application (either Single-Choice Early Action or Regular Decision). For SCEA, the deadline is typically November 1, and for RD, it's usually January 1. However, they also specify that they understand materials like letters of recommendation might come in a little later, and that won't negatively impact your application.

Each of your recommenders will need to upload their letter to the Common Application or Coalition Application, depending on which system you're using.

And of course, make sure to ask your recommenders ahead of time—give them at least a few weeks, if not a couple of months, to write the letter.

I hope this helps ease your stress a bit!