How to Make Your Recommendation Letters Shine？
- Han Education
- Apr 23
- 1 min read
Whether the letter comes from a school teacher or an external recommender, the qualities you want highlighted should be clearly communicated before the letter is written. Here are three tips from Han Education to ensure your recommendation letters truly impress admissions officers:
1. Thoughtfully complete your
Brag Sheet or QuestionnaireMany high schools ask students to fill out a questionnaire with 15–20 detailed questions, commonly known as a brag sheet. They often ask about your coursework, extracurricular activities, and top three strengths. Take the time to answer these thoroughly and thoughtfully—it’s a key opportunity to guide your recommender’s narrative.
2. Provide a résumé or activity list
Many teachers may not be aware of your extracurricular achievements, like Boy Scouts, academic competitions, or community work. When requesting a recommendation, be sure to attach your résumé or activity list. This allows teachers to not only comment on your classroom performance but also weave in your accomplishments beyond the classroom.
3. Prepare thoroughly for meetings with your recommenders
Dedicated teachers may offer one-on-one meetings to help them write more detailed and accurate letters. Before these meetings, reflect on your strengths and have clear, well-organized talking points ready. In fact, some students Han Education has worked with have had teachers draft letters during a 15-minute meeting, making it all the more important to come prepared with your materials and goals in mind.
If you have any questions towards college application, feel free to reach out to us, our consultants are more than happy to provide more insights to you!
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