Parent Guide: 40+ Colleges Giving Automatic Merit Scholarships

1. Arizona State University
2. Baylor University
3. Biola University
4. Birmingham-Southern College
5. Bowling Green State University (h/t Dustin Sabo)
6. Christian Brothers University (h/t Kristi Adam Forman)
7. Clemson University
8. Colorado Mesa University (h/t Julie Baumgartner)
9. Hiram College (h/t Frank Bowman)
10. Hartwick College (h/t Kelly Linehan)
11. Hofstra University (h/t Kelly Linehan)
12. John Carroll University (h/t Joel W. Mullner)
13. Lake Forest College (h/t Sharonda Dailey)
14. Lesley University
15. Louisiana State University
16. Loyola University New Orleans (h/t Susan Oakes)
17. Marietta College (h/t Sicari Franklin)
18. Miami University (OH) (h/t Beth Probst)
19. Ohio Wesleyan University (h/t Sandy Longworth)
20. Pace University (h/t Kelly Linehan)
21. Rochester Institute of Technology
22. Southeast Missouri State University (h/t Katie at Southeast)
23. State University of New York at Fredonia (h/t Kelly Linehan)
24. State University of New York at Oneonta (h/t Kelly Linehan)
25. State University of New York at Oswego (h/t Kelly Linehan)
26. Temple University (h/t Nikki Buchanan)
27. Texas Lutheran University (h/t Tom Oliver)
28. Trinity University (h/t Sandy Longworth)
29. University of Alabama
30. University of Alabama in Huntsville (h/t Lakisha L. Wingard)
31. University of Arizona (h/t Kelly Linehan)
32. University of Idaho
33. University of Missouri (h/t Beth Shak)
34. University of New Mexico (h/t Tara Anne Dowling)
35. University of Oklahoma (h/t Amanda Marsh)
36. University of Oregon (h/t Austin Beaton)
37. University of Wyoming
38. Union College
39. Utah State University (h/t Beth Shak)
40. Wayne State University (h/t Christopher Wystepek)
41. Whitworth University (h/t Kiersten Murphy)

Jon

Jon Perkins holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He helps students with their college, law school, and medical school applications.

Coalition Application Update: Notes, Thoughts, and Action

A group of 80+ selective universities called the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success has banded together to create an alternative to the Common Application. The purpose of this post is to provide a more in-depth look at the Coalition application and how parents and counselors can respond.

Sadly, the NACAC Conference sapped most of my energy, as evidenced by the fact that when I got home, I made my kids mac and cheese for dinner even though they told me they had already had mac and cheese for lunch. They did have watermelon for dessert, though, so all was not lost. In any case, since I'm a bit tired, I have to cheat a little bit. Instead of writing out only my own thoughts, I'm also going to share my notes from the NACAC Conference education session this morning, where the panel went into more detail about what the Coalition application is (or is supposed to be) about.

If you couldn't make it to NACAC, hopefully this fills in some of the missing information. If you're the type who never carries an umbrella no matter how dark the skies, this missing information might not interest you. But if you're the type likes to know a storm is coming even though there's no way out of its path, please read on. At the end of the post, I include a practical next step each of us can take right now to create a better process for students.

Panel Overview

This morning's panel consisted of Audrey Smith (Vice President for Enrollment at Smith College), John Latting (Dean of Admission at Emory University), and Barbara Gill (Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at University of Maryland). The panel gave a 3-part presentation, expanded on a few points, and then opened the session up for questions.

Panel Presentation Part 1: Origins of the Coalition

In the first segment, Ms. Smith discussed how the Coalition came about. The discussion began in 2013 with the troubled times for the Common App I am sure we all remember with great fondness. The rationale Ms. Smith offered for the Coalition application is that there is room for improvement in the college admission process, especially in terms of leveling the playing field. Goals for the Coalition application include developing a platform that will encourage reflection and self-discovery, fostering early engagement to support low-income students, and creating competition (with the Common App). Ms. Smith emphasized that the Coalition is still learning, that the app is a work in progress, that the Coalition is not expecting to get everything right the first time, and that the Coalition does not believe it has a corner on access.

Panel Presentation Part 2: Concerns about the Common App

In the second segment, Mr. Latting expanded on why the Coalition formed. The 2013 Common App glitches catalyzed discussions among universities. Several concerns arose. First, colleges felt that they were spectators in the application process. Second, colleges did not take kindly to the Common App’s attempts to monopolize the application, including by charging higher rates to any college that refused to use the Common App exclusively. Third, colleges did not like that the Common App was imposing certain policies and processes on the colleges: “Our own application wasn’t really ours.” Fourth, colleges believed technology should have been on a higher level, with functionality delivered on time during the new Common App roll-out in 2013. Fifth, colleges thought that the focus should shift from the transaction of applying to college to college planning more broadly.

Panel Presentation Part 3: Details about Coalition Platform / Application

In the third segment, Ms. Gill outlined the three tools in the Coalition application designed to help students start thinking about college earlier. First, students may set up a free “virtual college locker.” This is a repository for students to store information -- including essays, photos, and videos -- about activities, academics, and life experiences. Second, students may share info from the locker with various people in their lives including family, community members, teachers, or counselors. Third, students may use the application portal to complete their applications to Coalition schools; similar to the Common App, there will be an application component common to all members, and there will be institution-specific requirements. Currently, a pilot group of 46 counselors is testing out these tools and offering feedback. The locker goes live in January 2016, and certain schools will release their Coalition applications in Summer 2016.

Additional Panel Comments

The panel members then expanded on a few points. Ms. Smith emphasized the Coalition’s aspiration to encourage “early engagement and reflection.” The locker is a free tool. The hope is to ease the worries of overstressed students by helping them think about who they are throughout all four years of high school. Mr. Latting then addressed some concerns he had heard from people at the conference. One concern was that the Coalition app “feeds the frenzy”; Mr. Latting’s response was that this is not the intent. The second concern was that the “locker” (formerly, the “portfolio,” but that name apparently created too much frenzy) also feeds the frenzy; Mr. Latting’s response was that this is a student tool and that the colleges do not see any material from a student’s locker unless the student releases it through the application portal. The third concern was that adding another application would increase complexity for students; Mr. Latting’s response was that non-Common-App schools joining the Coalition (e.g., public universities) will decrease complexity.

Audience Comments and Questions

At this point, members of the audience rushed to the microphones. My summary of the audience comments and questions, mostly from school-based counselors, is, “We admire your intentions, but we don’t think this Coalition application improves access for the students who need it most, and it shifts more work to us.”

One audience member observed that unless the Coalition starts communicating more effectively, school counselors will bear the burden of explaining the Coalition application, and updates to the application, to multiple constituencies, including families, students, and teachers.

Another asked “If the process is longer and more complicated, won’t it just help rich kids?” Ms. Smith conceded this risk but affirmed that access for students that do not currently have access is the goal; she also suggested that if the Coalition does not meet the yet-to-be-established benchmark for improved access, then it will lose members.

Another audience member expressed concern that the Coalition set-up would cause younger high school students to focus on preparing for college instead of experiencing high school, and he indicated younger students might not be developmentally ready for this burden.

One audience member asked for a show of hands, and it was clear that the room was full of counselors from private schools, independent schools, and public schools using Naviance. (Note: One panel member cited the statistic that 20% of public high schools use Naviance.) In other words, the schools with students who need access most were not represented in the room.

Another audience member wondered who would evaluate the work in students’ lockers. Resources are already stretched. This audience member also wondered whether the Coalition application is “access layered onto something that serves institutions better.”

One counselor requested more details about the roll-out, including instructional videos. This counselor also requested that the Coalition app include links to FAFSA, CSS, CBOs, and Khan Academy.

My Thoughts on the Coalition Tools

I separate my view of the Coalition tools -- the free student locker + student-controlled access to locker materials -- from my view of the Coalition application. I like free tools. It is true that the Coalition tools will not make every student better off, but it is also true that the Coalition tools will not leave any student worse off. We don't blame Khan Academy for the fact that many students don't take advantage of its offerings, and I don't think we can blame the Coalition colleges if students don't take advantage of the locker tools. To me, the locker seems about the same as ZeeMee, an application that helps students "use images, videos, and documents on any application." If the Coalition wants to do a tool like ZeeMee, that's their deal. Students can use it or not.

My Thoughts on the Coalition Application

However, though the locker tool looks good, I'm not convinced that the Coalition application that inspired the locker tool has much to do with access. The question about whether the Coalition is just "layering access onto something that serves institutions better" resonates with me. Just look at the panel's comments about why this came about -- the Common App dropped the ball in 2013. The Coalition has made its future difficult in two ways. First, instead of calling a spade a spade and saying "We're sick of the Common App," an understandable sentiment, the Coalition has cloaked this intent beneath the mantle of access. Second, instead of getting widespread counselor, teacher, and parent input ahead of time, the Coalition has announced the application as a done deal. It's no surprise this approach has resulted in incredulity and skepticism.

What We Can Do: Contact the Coalition and Ask Them to Delay Implementation

If the panel members meant what they said about listening and not having all the answers, then they should delay implementation of the application until 2017 and conduct a wider pilot program in 2016. A delay lets the Coalition members save face and gives all stakeholders broader opportunities to provide feedback. How about filling out the form at the bottom of the Coalition website and suggesting that the Coalition delay implementation? Whatever your thoughts, don't quarantine them on Facebook -- get them on record with the Coalition!

Jon

Jon Perkins holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He helps students with their college, law school, and medical school applications.

First Impressions: NACAC 2015 Exhibits

Yes, by "Exhibits," I do mean people trying to sell us stuff. Before making the 3+ hour drive from L.A. to San Diego this morning (so I really should have carpooled with my mom, as she had offered, which would have saved an hour, but she was leaving at 5:00 and, well, I'm not a cheerful morning person), I looked through the exhibit descriptions, made my spreadsheet, sorted it by booth number, and prepared myself to journey from Aisle 100 all the way to Aisle 1400. Some exhibits had soft carpet, and my feet enjoyed the fluff. Good job, NACAC booth.

Disclaimers

Now, the lawyerly disclaimers. First, it is the end of a long day, so I'm feeling a bit chippy. No time for beating around the bush. To the point. Second, I skipped the exhibits that seemed to target colleges, like the exhibits with enrollment management voodoo. The reason: last time I checked, I am not a college. I went for the exhibits targeting counselors. Third, no one is paying me to say or not say anything. Fourth, these are my first impressions, not actual reviews. I haven't tried any of these products out, except for maybe seeing a demo. This is what I remember at the end of the day. For some exhibits, it's not much. But the silence, perhaps it speaks. In the words of my 3-year-old daughter, quoting her favorite Octonaut, Captain Barnacles: "Let's do this."

Barnacles

The "Task Tracking" Apps: Make Me a Freshman, Maia and Evolv.ng

I put the following apps in this category: Make Me a Freshman, Maia, and the unpronounceable yet still lovable Evolv.ng. The impression I get is that the counselor logs into the dashboard, creates or selects tasks for students, and then manages those tasks by sending texts / other reminders to students. Instead of emailing or texting students separately, you do it all from the dashboard. Maybe this will work. But my observation so far is that if I create super-detailed, wonderful checklists for my students, they tend to ignore them. 10 colleges X 10 tasks per college equals 100 tasks, which is an absurd number. Chances that students will tune me out: high. Go ahead and judge -- maybe I'm ineffective, or maybe my students are unmotivated.

The Social Media Police: The Social U

I see what you did there with the name. Clever you. This app lets students/parents obtain a report card for each of the student's various social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Snapchat just takes care of itself, I'm told. Along with the grade (C- on Instagram), you get suggestions about what action to take. This is a good idea. Students need this. However, you probably won't find me asking my clients to pay $99 for 1 month or $129 for 3 months of this service.

Instead, I will refer them to what I am calling the Essaywise 3-Step Guide to Social Media Accounts. It's now yours, free! It's complicated, so listen up to the 3 steps:

1. Log into your social media account.
2. Delete any post that contains profanity, sexuality, alcohol, drugs, or anything you wouldn't feel comfortable saying in front of your grandmother.
3. Don't make any more posts containing material referenced in Step 2.

The Storytelling Platform: Story2

"College counselors aren't trained in personal writing." You had me at hello...OK, so this statement, though true, doesn't capture the whole truth. When I talk to counselors who have been at it for a while, I find that they have a fairly good idea of what personal writing looks like. In any case, the idea behind this platform is that counselors can pay $15/student to use the Essaybuilder (I couldn't duplicate the "TM" for trademark that should follow this), which the rep told me helps with topic selection. Topic selection is the hardest part, no question. But talk to a dozen counselors, and you'll find a dozen creative ways they extract topics from even the most reluctant students. For example, I use emoji. Yes, topic selection is hard, but I don't know if it's $15 / student hard. In any case, I do like the story2 "Personal Narrative Rubric." Just reading that is a crash course in what an essay can hope to achieve.

The Simple Texting App: Calolo

Calolo gives counselors a dashboard they can use to send multiple texts to students, who can then respond when the task is complete. The counselor can then send a follow-up text. You might be thinking, "Isn't this one of the task-tracking apps you already dismissed?" No, I don't think so. The task-tracking apps were focused on creating a place for student and counselor to log in and meet. Calolo is more focused on the counselor. Tina, the founder, comes from a counselor background, and she made this to solve the problem of trying to keep up with lots of kids. To me, the benefit of Calolo, assuming it does what it's supposed to, is that it does not create yet another platform for students to use half-heartedly. It just lets me text my students more easily. And I would pay $6/student/year for that.

AdmitSee: The Essay Compilation App

AdmitSee lets students pay to see packages of successful application essays from similarly situated students. If I have a 3.5 GPA and a 1900 on my SAT and want to apply to UCLA, I can see what other applicants like me wrote. My question for the reps was, "I get why a student who isn't working with a counselor would use this. But why would I use this instead of an essay compilation book?" I got a few different answers. First, students like to click things and browse, not look at a book. OK, I get the convenience factor. Second, students can see what others like them have written to get a sense of what they should write. Not quite sold on this point. It's not like I tell my A students, "Welcome to the Essaywise Gold and Diamond Strategy" and my other students, "Get thee to the Essaywise Plan of Rust and Coal." Storytelling is storytelling, and anyone can do it, regardless of GPA. Third, students can see what other successful applicants have majored in to get a better idea of fit. I don't know if this is how I would go about finding fit. I put this in the "possible alternative to '50 Essays That Worked' book" category. For students who aren't getting attention from a counselor, whether independent or school-based, yes, I can see that it might fill a void.

The Extracurricular Yellow Pages: Blayz

Does anyone remember the Yellow Pages from days of yore? How quaint. So Blayz is trying to be the Yellow Pages by giving students one place to find extracurricular activities. The rep told me there are 90,000 listings. I don't know how there can be 90,000 good listings. Me of little faith. However, it is free, and it is a good idea, so I don't see much to lose.

The Find Your Major App: Celebrate Strengths

Celebrate Strengths is a survey that helps students figure out what types of majors would be good for them. It was originally from a business setting and has now been adapted to students because why not? They are in the process of adding 300 videos of professionals in different careers so students can "try on" different jobs. The output from the 25-minute student survey is a nice report, which looks very official. The promotional pricing is only $1/student, I was told. I also put this in the "not much to lose" category.

The Financial and Academic Matchmaker: College Raptor

If your name has a raptor in it, even a cute one, you had better be pretty awesome. College Raptor is trying to help students balance two factors when selecting schools: price and fit. I was skeptical. (Surprise.) First, let me describe what College Raptor is doing on the price issue. Yes, there are net price calculators out there, but it's not exactly convenient for families to go to 10 different college websites. College Raptor's idea is to bring the NPCs together. I asked how College Raptor can do that. Some colleges have actually shared their NPC formula directly with College Raptor. For those that haven't, College Raptor has "inferred" the formula. All this has allowed College Raptor to show the student one simplified NPC (with the option of entering in more info later). Maybe not perfect, but good enough?

Second, for the fit issue, College Raptor has its algorithm about what schools are good fits. Most of the college match tools I see are useless because they recommend schools my students won't attend. I feared the same here. I gave Bill a hypothetical student: 3.85 GPA, 2080 on the SAT, interested in biology. So College Raptor spits out a list of 9 schools. UCLA. Yes, my student would apply there. Grinnell? No, probably not. But that's not the end of the story. What College Raptor does with its list is categorize schools into reach / target / likely categories. Yes, we all know this is an art, not a science. But when it spits out the list of 9 schools, it is spitting out a balanced list (trust but verify...) of 9 schools. The great feature, I thought, was that if you don't like those "best fit" schools, you can just opt to see all the matches, not just the top 9. So, for example, if my student wouldn't go to Grinnell, I could just choose the next target school on the list. I see this as a fast way to generate ideas for students to explore. I could see sitting down with a student, using this tool to come up with a "big list" of schools, and sending the student off to do some research. I'm a fan of the whole College Raptor concept, though I didn't think I would be.

The Map Company: Campus Bird

Campus Bird makes interactive campus maps. Now that I think about it, it's more of a company marketing to colleges than to counselors. But in case you didn't know, I love maps! And these CampusBird maps are great. Here's a sample map for ASU. So -- I guess I'm just hoping we see more of these maps in the future. Rare is the student that actually gets to visit far-away schools before being admitted.

The Curtain Falls

With that, we come to the end, for now. More excitement to follow tomorrow, I'm sure.

Jon

Jon Perkins holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He helps students with their college, law school, and medical school applications.

Parent Guide: 8 Things I Learned at the USC Counselor Conference

Today I had the pleasure of attending USC's annual counselor conference. In this post, I'll share (in no particular order) 8 things I learned about USC today.

1. USC offers 7 B.S. programs you've probably never heard of. These majors include Policy, Planning, and Development, Real Estate Development (new for 2015), Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Global Health, Human Development and Aging, Lifespan Health, and Occupational Therapy. Who might like these majors? You can't really lump them together. Two of these really stood out for me. First, Health Promotion & Disease Prevention is a great alternative to bio or chem; it includes all the pre-med requirements. Second, Global Health is a potential path for the student interest in preventive medicine and study abroad but who isn't pre-med.
2. When picking a major, check out the upper division elective classes. Whether you're talking about USC or any other university, find that course catalog. The upper division electives are supposed to be the fun ones. If they look boring, then maybe that major just isn't for you!
3. The USC Career Center makes it super easy for students to find internships and jobs. I can't overstate how awesome this is. Students have a variety of online career resources available for life, including connectSC. (Plus, for three years after graduation, they can come back to the USC Career Center for help at no charge.) So, what is connectSC? Oh, nothing much -- just a place where you can book appointments at the career center, find and apply to job opportunities (no need to go to a separate website), set up informational interviews with USC alumni in a field that interest you, do mock interviews (including recording and viewing yourself to see how you come across), watch video presentations from USC alums about their careers (and get in touch with them and ask questions), and access internship opportunities across the country through iNet (a consortium of 11 selective colleges across the country that shares internship opportunities with students at member schools). Really, I'm not sure how the internship and job search process could be more seamless.
4. The three ideas behind a USC education are the Renaissance Ideal, Global Experiences, and Research & Discovery. The Renaissance Ideal means interdisciplinary study, something students can pursue through the Renaissance Scholars program. Global Experiences means gaining international perspectives, something students can pursue through the Global Scholars program. Research & Discovery means exploring new ideas, something students can pursue through the Discovery Scholars program. Why might you care about these three ideas? If these don't appeal to you, maybe don't apply to USC. If they do, then maybe, just maybe, consider addressing one of them in this USC supplemental essay: "Describe your academic interests and how you plan to pursue them at USC." When you connect your interests to USC's values, your essay makes a stronger case for why you're a good fit for USC. For whatever it's worth, this is the guidance I have given the 7 of my students who have enrolled at USC over the past 2 years.
5. Don't lose yourself in the essay. At the info session about how USC reviews applications, Dean of Admission Tim Brunold and Director of Admission Kirk Brennan commented on the role of the application essay, a topic near and dear to my heart and to this blog. Their take? They know when the essay is over-edited. Students are afraid, and they seek too much advice from parents, teachers, and others. If the student isn't in the essay, then it's not a good essay. So not only is it unethical to write a student's essay, but it's also ineffective. The people in admissions offices are experienced. They have read thousands of essays. They know what a 17 year old's writing sounds like. That's why one of the ground rules I follow is no changing the student's words, even to say it "better."
6. There is no formula to getting admitted. Yes, GPA and SAT matter, and they have to be good. But here's my paraphrased version of how Kirk and Tim described the process: Review the transcript. Looks good. Check the SAT or ACT score. Yep, it matches up with the transcript. Good. As Tim put it, "Don't make a career out of test prep. Take the SAT once and the ACT once. Whichever one you like better, take a second time." Kirk added, "Grades are more important." Why the seeming de-emphasis on standardized test scores? Tim observed that there would have to be a 200-point differential in SAT scores to create a difference in predictive validity. The take-away today is that those small differences don't have a material affect on the admissions outcome. And looking at the 2014 SAT Percentile Ranks, it makes sense, doesn't it? A 2050 on the SAT is 95th percentile, and a 2220 is 99th percentile. The message today is that difference doesn't matter as much to USC as it does to students and parents who want to get the 2100, the 2250, the 2300, or whatever next threshold they have fixated upon. And yes, USC is aware of the scoring patterns for students who take the test multiple times or come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Standardized test scores are not a magic key to the kingdom.
7. The USC interview is optional. Really. If you do an interview, the notes will end up in your admission file. According to Kirk, "Three out of four times, the interview notes confirm what I already know." The rest of the time is a split decision. Some students present themselves better in the interview than they do in the Common App; some present themselves worse. So you know what? If you're a great interviewer, go schedule one. If you're a nervous wreck, skip it and don't worry about it.
8. Inside the Common App, the colleges can view letters of recommendation by letter writer. Kirk mentioned one letter writer who submitted several recommendations to USC, each stating that the student was the "best" student he had. That's...impossible. Oops. Knowing that your teacher or counselor *could* negatively impact your application by using a form or template is hard to stomach. I know letters of recommendation are a huge source of stress for parents and students because, quite simply, the final result is beyond your control. But that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do. For some practical tips, take a look at our Parent Guide to Letters of Recommendation.

Well, I had hoped to write out 10 things I learned, but it's Friday evening, and I hit a wall. So 8 will have to do!

Jon

Jon Perkins holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He helps students with their college, law school, and medical school applications.

Parent Guide: Letters of Recommendation

As you might have gathered from reading this blog, my goal is to incite hysteria about the college application process. That means when I write a post like this that lists steps you should take to improve your odds, you should definitely panic if you have not followed each and every one of my suggestions. Even better, you should start worrying that you won't get in anywhere. It's all or nothing. As Ricky Bobby put it, "If you ain't first, you're last."

I don't exactly understand why this mindset persists, but I see it often with my students: the "what might have been" mindset. Would it be better if I had gotten an A in that class? If I had gotten 50 points higher on the SAT? If I had done more research? If I had done any research? If I had done more leadership activities? Of course it would be better! But what does it matter? Time travel is not feasible. For help making this point, I turn to my friend Rafiki:

Simba: What was that for? Rafiki: It doesn't matter! It's in the past!

And that's what I would say to you. It doesn't matter. It's in the past. Just do whatever you can right now. Following even one of the suggestions I describe below is better than following none of them. When you finish reading this post, you'll have a better idea about how to help your child line up good letters of recommendation.

How Much Do Letters of Recommendation Matter?

A good amount less than the GPA and SAT/ACT. A little less than the essay. Less to public schools than to private schools. Less to non-selective schools than to selective schools.

I'm making this up. No, I'm not. How do we know all this? The National Association for College Admission Counseling, also known by its euphonious acronym NACAC, which rhymes with "crack," tells us on page 30 of their report 2014 State of College Admission.

Nothing is so compelling as an argument from authority -- I agree! Basically, in 2013, NACAC sent a survey to 1,241 universities that are NACAC members, and 352 responded. That's the info we have from NACAC. That letters of rec would matter more to private schools and selective schools makes sense to me. These schools have more applicants to decide on, so they need to rely on additional factors -- such as letters of rec.

Are Letters of Recommendation Required?

It depends. Sorry for the least helpful answer ever. But it does. The good news, though, is that it's pretty easy to figure this out for Common App schools. Log into the Common App, and click the "College Search" tab:

Then click the "Application Requirements" button:

To see the "Recommendations" column, remember to scroll all the way to the right.

And now, here's what you need to decipher the Recommendations column:

• TE. The number in this column shows how many teacher evaluations, also known as teacher letters of recommendation, the school requires. Chances are, you'll apply to at least one school that requires 2 teacher evaluations.
• OE. The number in this column shows how many other evaluations the school requires. So who would write these "other evaluations"? The Common App suggests the following: arts teacher, clergy, coach, college access counselor, employer, family member, and peer. I would add mentor, summer school professor, and research supervisor.
• CR. A "Y" in this column indicates that the school requires a counselor recommendation. Most private schools do require this.

[Note: MR is for mid-year report, the update some schools require so they can see first-semester grades. We're not worrying about that now.]

Whether a school requires letters of recommendation is not the whole story. We also need to figure out whether a school accepts letters of recommendation. For example, though most Common App schools won't require an "other evaluation," many will accept one. If you have special circumstances or special achievements that your teacher rec and your counselor rec won't highlight, consider using the other evaluation.

Once you've logged into the Common App website, click on the "My Colleges" tab and click on a college name; at the bottom of the screen, you'll see numbers for "Required" and "Allowed" numbers of teacher evaluations and other evaluations:

So the More Letters of Recommendation, the Better?

No, it's not about quantity. It's about quality -- specifically, whether each letter of recommendation adds something unique to your application. Suppose you had to choose from the following two scenarios:

• Scenario 1: You can have 2 stellar letters of recommendation from teachers who love you.
• Scenario 2: You can have 2 stellar letters of recommendation from teachers who love you plus 1 so-so letter of recommendation from a teacher who is neutral about you.

That third letter of recommendation in Scenario 2 isn't looking too great right now.

I'm Nervous - How Do I Know Whether My Teacher Will Write a Good Letter?

What grade did you get? If you got an A or a B, then you're off to a good start.

Beyond your grade, how were you in class? If you were contributing in class every day, asking good questions, trying hard on group projects, etc., then maybe your teacher noticed. I slept almost every day in Physics AP. I thought it was less frequently, but Christa insists it was almost every day. In my defense, the room was dark because we were looking at some slides (I'm assuming). There's no way I would ask Mr. McGehee for a rec because I was terrible. Sorry, Mr. McGehee. I appreciate your patience.

Did you develop a relationship with the teacher outside of class? This could include conversations before or after class, either about what's covered in class or about some related interest...or even an unrelated interest. Maybe this teacher is the adviser for a student club or extracurricular activity, and you got to know the teacher that way.

What did the teacher say when you asked for a letter of rec? If you're lucky, the teacher volunteered before you brought it up. That's a good sign. If when you asked the teacher responded, "Sure!" that's also good. If the response was more hesitant than you expected, consider whether you need another option.

In the end, you might not know for sure how good the letter will be. There is uncertainty. Use your best judgment and move on.

Which Teachers Should I Ask?

Most schools will leave it to you to choose. Some, however, request a teacher from a specific subject area, such as math or science. Unfortunately, and as with many aspects of this process, the precise requirements vary from school to school. Google it. Assuming you have freedom to choose whichever teachers you want, here's how I usually suggest my students narrow it down:

• Junior year teacher...
• ...of an academic class such as English, math, history, foreign language, or science...
• ...that you got an A or B in...
• ...who likes you.

When you're figuring out which teacher, of course it's useful to choose at least one who teaches a subject you intend to continue with in college. For example, if you're pre-med, then your AP Bio teacher is a good option. If you're pre-med and choose English and History teachers but no science teachers, you might leave the school wondering whether you're really good at or interested in science.

Also, I know there's some stress from choosing a teacher in whose class you earned a B. But if you got a B first semester and raised it to an A second semester, that trend gives the teacher a good positive to write about.

My Teacher Said "Yes" -- Now What?

Many teachers will ask students to complete a packet short questionnaire so that they can get a fuller picture of who the student is. The questionnaire might include questions such as:

• What were your strengths and weaknesses in class?
• Describe a project, paper, or activity you were proud of.
• How did you contribute to this class?
• What are 3 adjectives that describe you?

So many times I hear people say about this or that, "Don't overdo it." Here I would say, "Don't underdo it." If there's one mistake I see students making, it's failing to include enough details.

You can't just list a strength in class like "worked well in groups"; you have to explain what the assignment was, what challenges your group faced, and what you did to resolve them. You can't just list your weakness; you have to describe a moment when that weakness manifested itself -- who, what, when, where, why -- and then describe another moment when you overcame that weakness.

You can't just describe a project you were proud of; you have to provide all the little details -- the ones that are perhaps insignificant to anyone else -- about why the project fascinated you. You can't just say you contributed "leadership" to the class; you have to go into detail about particular moments so your teacher remembers how you made your contribution. You can't just list 3 adjectives; you need to give a particular moment, preferably from class, showing you living out those adjectives.

Write about specific moments that reveal your character. Write about details and actions. This all sounds familiar, yes? Perhaps you remember reading it in the Essay Guide for Parents or in my post about how to create a sense of immediacy for your reader? No? Then go read those!

This Sounds Like a Lot of Work. Do I Have to?

It's time-consuming, no doubt. You can't just crank this out in 30 minutes the day before your letter writer's deadline. Remember, you don't get a second chance. Whatever you submit to your letter writer will probably end up in your letter of recommendation, sometimes word for word.

Whether you have to put in this much effort depends on where you are in the applicant pool. Let's return to the original point from that NACAC report. The letters of recommendation matter more to private schools and to more selective schools. If that describes the schools to which you're applying, then invest the extra 2 hours and do this the right way.

When Should I Ask for Letters of Rec?

Ask as early as possible in the fall. If you have to do a questionnaire, you want to get that as soon as possible so you can manage your workload better. Also, if your teacher has limits on the number of letters of recommendation she writes, you don't want to be shut out because you waited too long.

Lastly, in case you decide to apply early action or early decision somewhere, you want to let your teacher know so she can factor that in. Yes, that means you have to get your list in order early Fall and decide whether you're applying early anywhere. You don't want to discover your perfect school in October, decide to apply early, and then find out that you've missed all the teacher and counselor deadlines for the letter of rec.

How Do I Get the Letters to the Colleges?

Again, it depends. Talk to your counselor. If you're looking for some answers to nuts and bolts questions for handling letters of rec for the Common App, please see the Common App Recommenders FAQ.

What Is FERPA, and Should I Waive My FERPA Rights?

Let me paraphrase what you'll find on the Common App FERPA explanation. FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It gives you the right to see your letters of recommendation under certain circumstances. If you waive your FERPA rights, colleges know you don't have the right to see your letters of recommendation. This will allow colleges to trust that your recommender is being honest.

Go ahead and waive your FERPA rights. As the Common App website points out, even if you don't waive your FERPA rights, you still don't get the ability to approve what your recommenders write. So what you'll gain -- credible letters -- far exceeds what you'll lose -- the right to see your letter eventually.

ferpareleaseauthorization

Oh, right. Now we actually need to know how to waive those FERPA rights for the Common App. Proceed to the My Colleges tab and select a college; then click on the "release authorization" link.

But My Teacher Asked Me to Write My Own Letter of Recommendation. What Now?

This isn't a negative thing. Well, it isn't a negative thing unless you screw it up, which of course you won't because you're reading attentively.

Now you have much more control over your letter. You already know what to do. You'll want to figure out 3-5 important moments that demonstrate your potential to contribute. You'll want to focus on details and actions. You can start by listing examples of what you contributed in class, what you were most proud of, what your biggest strengths and weaknesses are, and what three adjectives describe you. This is what you do anyway in responding to teacher questionnaires. The only difference now is that you have more control over which shining moments the teacher will write about.

And yes, it's perfectly fine to waive your FERPA rights and write your own letter of rec. Waiving your FERPA right just means you're giving up the right to get the college to show you the letter of rec. If your teacher decides to let you write your own letter of rec, that has nothing to do with FERPA.

Just Do What You Can!

This post has covered the questions that I keep running across this season with students and parents. You can only do what you can do. Don't dwell on opportunities missed. Focus on taking care of the items that are within your control. As some wise person somewhere once said in ancient times, "All you can do is all you can do."

The big picture is that though the letters of rec are important, especially for private and selective schools, they still come in behind GPA, SAT/ACT, and the essay. If you have any frustration about not controlling the letters of rec, get started by taking it out on the essay -- our Essay Guide for Parents is a great place to start!

Jon

Jon Perkins holds a B.A. in English from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He helps students with their college, law school, and medical school applications.