How should I ask for teacher letter of recommendations?

Hi! Definitely best to ask ASAP. Teachers are busy, and you want to give them time to write a nice letter without pressure. Sometimes they will also forget things like putting it on a school letterhead, etc., so you want to account for time to fix things like that. In terms of asking teachers, email them or ask to speak to them after class. When you talk to them, tell them what you want the letter for, a basic overview of what it should contain, and ask if it's possible for them to write it. Choose teachers who know you as a person, and not just based on grades- it makes the letter a lot more personal. If needed, give the teacher gentle reminders every so often. A thank you note afterwards is always appreciated.

Hope this helps!

I would ask before the summer. This gives them plenty of time. However, if you run out of time, asking when you return to school should be fine. If you ask after school starts then ask soon to prevent being on a time crunch. It's good that you have an idea of who you want to ask.

While getting started may seem daunting, remember that they have gone through that experience with many others, and know that it's nerve-wracking. I would say that it's much more simple than it first appears. If you want to do anything to prepare before asking, type up a list of your extracurriculars and jobs. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a resume of sorts for you to email them after you ask. Each teacher might want to know other specific things, but you can discuss that when you ask.

As for the process of asking, the biggest thing will be working up the courage. Again, you don't have anything to worry about. They are your teachers, and if you've chosen good ones to ask, then they know you and you know them. If you need to, think about asking any other question, "What does this mean?" "Can you help me with this?" Definitely ask in person. Decide when a good time to ask them would be. This could be before school, after school, during their prep hour, or during lunch. Just make sure that you aren't going to be interrupting their class and try to go when there aren't many other people in the classroom. If you're still nervous, just walk into the room, and force yourself to begin the conversation. It goes more smoothly once you begin talking. You can say something along the lines of, "Hi, I was wondering if you could write me a letter of recommendation." It can be as simple as that. Chances are, they're going to say yes, unless you did something truly awful or they have a cap on the amount of letters they write.

Then, they might ask you some follow-up questions like when you're going to need the letter, no big questions. If you don't know how to answer a question, you can just that you don't know. For example, if you're getting a letter for college, but don't know when you're going to need it, you can say that you're not exactly sure, but sometime in the fall. They will probably ask you for a list of activities/extracurriculars/jobs that you participate in. You can email that to them later. Depending on the person, they may ask for some other information to make the letter as good as possible.

If you have any questions for them on them, make sure to ask them. If you're going to be using The Common App to apply to college, then you'll invite your teacher on there, they'll get an email, and then they'll submit the letter on their end. Otherwise, figure out how your method of application wants you to submit the letter, and communicate that with your teacher when you can. As time goes on, you may want to send your teacher a reminder of the deadline.

Remember to thank your teachers. That is really important! They take time out of their day to help you and deserve to be appreciated. Overall, it comes down to asking that one question, and going from there. I assure you that if you're nervous, there is nothing to worry about. If you're already on good terms with these teachers, then one interaction will not change their view of you. I wish you the best of luck!

From what my teachers have told me, it's best to ask in person before the next school year begins. This was the explanation they provided: By asking for a favor such as a recommendation letter through email, the teacher may feel offended by not taking the time to visit them. Visiting before school ends allows for a greater period of time for them to reflect upon what they want to say. Teachers have a lot on their hands with numerous other students asking them for letters, so be patient and flexible with them.

I hope this helps!