Requesting Letters of Recommendation

Whether you plan to go to college, join the military, or head directly into the workforce, you may be asked to supply letters of recommendation from people who know you and can speak to your abilities and potential.

HCPSS uses Naviance to manage requests for letters of recommendation, as well as to submit them to colleges and universities on behalf of students. All HCPSS high school students have an account in Naviance.

Letters from HCPSS Teachers and Counselors

Your teachers and counselors may be good options to consider asking for letters of recommendation. As you think about which one(s) to ask, keep in mind:

• How well the teacher/counselor knows you
• What kind of student were you in the teacher’s class?
• Could the teacher/counselor speak to your work ethic, resiliency, respect, etc.?
• What content area does the teacher work in (some colleges may require letters from teachers in particular content areas)?

If you decide to have HCPSS teachers and/or guidance counselors write letters of recommendation on your behalf, follow these steps:

• Communicate directly (in-person or by email) with your teacher/counselor and ask if they will write a letter of recommendation for you.
  • Because writing letters of recommendations is time- and labor-intensive, you should ask no more than two teachers to write them on your behalf.
• Complete this waiver, authorizing the release of the letters to the college(s) to which you are applying.
• Log into Naviance and complete Teacher Information Form and/or Counselor Information Form.
  • These forms are used to provide the teacher/counselor with information you want shared in their letter of recommendation.
  • Complete a Teacher Information Form for each teacher from whom you are requesting a letter of recommendation.
• Select which teachers you want to request to write a letter of recommendation and to which college(s) you want the letters to be sent.
  • Teachers CANNOT submit your letters without receiving this request.

Additional information on requesting teacher and counselor recommendations can be found in this screencast.

Keep in mind that letters of recommendation will not be sent until:

• You add the “Colleges I’m Applying To” tab in Naviance
• The Common App is matched with Naviance
• Your Common App schools are added to your Common App account
• You personally ask teachers for letters of recommendation
• You complete the teacher and counselor application forms in Naviance
• You request teachers in Naviance

You can see the status of your request for letters of recommendation by logging into Naviance and going to “Colleges I’m Applying” to Tab. It will show pending, submitted or downloaded by the college.

Letters from Mentors, Community Leaders, and Others

In addition to requesting letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors, you may choose to solicit recommendations from important figures in your life, like a mentor or a community leader with whom you have worked. You will need to follow a similar process to the one outlined above:

• Ask the individual if they are willing and able to write a letter on your behalf.
• Supply them with information about you that can help them as they write their letter.
• Upload the letter to Naviance.

Deadlines

Keep in mind that it takes time for your teachers and counselors to respond to requests for letters of recommendation. To determine when you need to submit your request, look at your calendar and count 20 school days back from your deadline. DO NOT count holidays, weekends or HCPSS “schools closed for students” days – to find the due date for letter requests. Requests that are made less than 20 school days from your deadline may not be completed in time.

If you need letters of recommendation as part of your college application, be aware of the following deadlines. Please note that these dates are the last possible day to complete your requests. Students are encouraged to submit all material as early as possible.

*Because this college application deadline occurs during Winter Break, requests for letters of recommendation must be made in 20 days prior to the last school day before the Break.