What Goes in a Counselor Letter of Recommendation?
“Jimmy likes to joke that despite how others perceive the senior class as the ‘least spirited,’ he would prefer to think of them as ‘free spirited.’ I would imagine it can be difficult at times to be one of the leaders of a class not known to show a lot of school pride, but Jimmy is the type of person who sees the good in everyone. He accepts and appreciates people for who they are and he has the ability and charisma to bring people together, even a group of normally lethargic students, to win a cheer competition. He does this without giving any credit to himself. If anything, he can be insufferably modest. ”
As I’ve been getting to know my juniors, I’m already in recommendation writing mode. In fact, I’m in letter writing mode all the time. Every time I notice something notable or hear a memorable story or even a brief snippet, I like to write it down for future reference. Maybe it’ll make the letter, maybe not, but everything contributes to the whole picture I see when I think about each individual student. But what actually goes in a counselor letter of recommendation? Content will always vary, but here’s an overview of what is typically presented to admissions.
Spotlight v. Floodlight
Before we get into specifics, here’s a broad perspective. The Director of College Counseling at ‘Iolani School said it best when he described the difference between a teacher recommendation and a counselor recommendation. He used a theater metaphor. Think of the teacher recommendation as a spotlight. It is a focused letter that highlights the student’s academic experience in their class. A reader is trying to gain a sense of the student’s academic strengths and qualities. The counselor letter is a floodlight, much broader and meant to illuminate the whole student.
Academic context
The counselor letter does cover academics to a degree, but I try to leave the heavy lifting to teachers. What I can provide is context, like the excerpt below. Occasionally, I do have firsthand knowledge of the student’s academic characteristics, through interaction or class observation, but for the most part, I try to focus on academic interests and how the student has demonstrated them. If a student is the lifelong learner type, I want the reader to know that. If they aren’t, I’m not going to pretend they are. Embellishing academic characteristics makes no sense because the transcript is right there. That is the most important factor when assessing academic qualifications. But if a student went above and beyond or they participated in an academic activity that I can expand on, I will try to do so.
“For each of the last two years, Jimmy’s class schedule should not have been possible. Maybe the universe just wanted him to suffer. It should not have worked out because our science courses take up multiple class periods and he had a few additional courses that would only be offered in one or two class periods. Everything had to fit perfectly, and somehow it did. His course schedule last year was among the most challenging in the entire class, and when he finished the year with straight A’s (again), it only confirmed what I already knew—that he is a tenacious learner and among the most driven students in my group of counselees. Grades do not always tell that story, but I saw his work ethic firsthand. If there is anyone else in the senior class who outworks Jimmy, I don’t know who they are.”
Extracurricular context
Similar to providing context to a transcript, a counselor letter will give context to extracurricular activities. This part is harder than it looks. An applicant will already report their activities on their application, and it’s always tempting to just repeat those same activities and provide a little more detail. That’s just not a good use of space. This is where stories come in handy. I’ve been lucky to work in environments where I had the chance to get to know my students and see them in their element. And this is where my note-taking over the years also helped—those little snippets that I would have forgotten had I not written them down. My favorite things to highlight are the activities that the student may not even think are significant–side projects, part-time jobs, one-off gigs. Many of the standard activities kind of speak for themselves, but I have an easier time seeing what really matters to a student when they are doing things they actually want to do.
“Jimmy’s role on the volleyball team is distinctly supportive. She is relatively new to the sport and her lack of experience means she doesn’t play much. So she is the one that comes up with individual cheers for each player, and she maintains the same time commitment as the more recognizable, college recruitable stars on the team…Perhaps my favorite fun fact about her is her involvement with tee-ball on an all-boys team when she was very young. Even back then, nothing fazed her.”
Personal qualities
In college admissions circles, there is a growing emphasis on assessing character in the review process. In the past two NACAC conferences, I’ve attended a session on the value of character. It’s not going to replace academics, but I’m curious as to how individual colleges will take this into consideration, if they haven’t already. This is a topic that counselors typically like to cover anyway, since they are well-positioned to address this. Again, this is where stories are helpful. It’s not enough to say someone is a good person, or responsible, diligent, trustworthy, friendly, etc. I try to minimize my use of adjectives anyway. If there is no evidence to support what I say, I’m really not sure how valuable it would be. But long story short, character matters. No counselor will ever say negative things about their student, but sometimes readers can infer from what isn’t being said.
“During our annual fall senior retreat, the seniors participated in an activity where they were asked to write anonymous stories about classmates of their choosing. The college counselors asked to host this exercise in an effort to learn more about our seniors than what was readily known. I bring this up because out of all of the seniors in my caseload, Jimmy had the most people write about her. Not my ASBC president, not the class president, not the class clown. Jimmy. And the stories I read took place in various settings and were filled with details, not generic praise. Someone who didn’t even identify as her friend talked about how she once helped her through a math problem set when she could have easily blown her off or feigned ignorance.”
Extenuating circumstances
I’m not going to provide an excerpt here since the information is more sensitive, but this is where the counselor letter can really help. It may not make a difference with some colleges, but some information is more effective if it comes from the counselor. Maybe there was a legitimate teacher issue that led to a bad grade. Instead of the applicant sounding like they are making excuses or throwing someone under the bus, a counselor can usually present the situation more diplomatically. If a student chooses to disclose mental health struggles, a counselor can confirm that and also assure the reader that the student is in a better place. Some students may have learning differences, difficult family situations, or an injury/illness that affected them significantly. Life happens. Counselors can help readers take everything into consideration so they can make informed decisions.
FAQ
What if my counselor has a huge caseload and doesn’t know me well?
This is pretty typical and if you attend a large high school, colleges aren’t going to expect that your counselor will know everything about you. You can still help yourself by giving your counselor some information that can help them with your letter. A résumé and/or a one-pager with bullet point highlights could be helpful. Some high schools already have a brag packet process in place, but if your counselor doesn’t say anything about it, you can take the initiative. Just remember that they are the ones writing the letter, not you. Don’t assume that everything you say will make the final cut.
What if a college doesn’t accept letters of recommendation?
The UC system has entered the chat. In this case, you will have to advocate for yourself through your writing. If you do have extenuating circumstances, you absolutely have to choose topic #4 or #5 as one of your PIQs. If a college doesn’t accept letters, or even limits how many they’ll accept, that means they can make their decisions based on other factors. The UCs and the University of Washington have so many applications as it is. To add letters in their review process would just complicate things, unfortunately.
How else can I get a strong recommendation letter?
I’ve mentioned stories a few times. Sometimes, stories are difficult to come by. Over the years, I’ve had a few students I just didn’t know that well. I had to rely on their “brag sheet,” parent questionnaire, or teacher comments for content, which was fine, but I wish I could’ve done more. If you attend an independent school with a dedicated college counselor, you need to make it a point to see them and help them get to know you. Even if you hire a consultant, the majority of your time should be spent with your high school college counselor. Your consultant isn’t writing a letter.
Stories also don’t just come out of nowhere. You create the stories even if you’re not aware of it. Be active inside and outside the classroom, speak up even if it’s uncomfortable at times, and create connections with people. If you’re not engaged, it’s going to be harder to tell your story. Your letter will be filled with more adjectives and fewer nouns and verbs. I’m not encouraging you to act for the camera for the purpose of a future letter of rec, but if you just do your thing in places where you want to be, that story will tell itself.
It’s nice to have school spirit, but it’s more important for you to be a free spirit.