Teacher Letters/Counselor Statements

Letters of Recommendation/Counselor Statements/Secondary School Reports

Letters of Recommendation

Many selective colleges and scholarship programs require you to submit letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation include information about your strengths and character, or special qualities that are helpful to the committees. Some committees are specific about who they want to write your letter. Follow those instructions.

Give individuals who are writing you letters a resume or Brag Sheet. The more that the recommender knows about you, the better the letter might be. Give them plenty of notice, about 2 weeks. Provide them with a self-addressed and stamped envelope, if they are to mail it themselves. Thank them.

Counselor Statements/Secondary School Reports

Some colleges will have a form that your school counselor will need to complete. Print it off and submit the form to your counselor when you request your transcript. The form will be enclosed in the same envelope as your transcript. A resume or Brag Sheet will be helpful. UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Wilmington, Duke University, Wake Forest University, Elon University, and the Common Application are a few that require a counselor statement. Be certain to check if this is a requirement for your application.

For some online applications and the Common Application, you may need to provide your teacher’s or counselor’s information, including email address. An email will be sent to these people to complete the required forms.