Letters of Rec Q

[Anonymous]

My DC has submitted several applications at schools where letters of recommendation are option. They do want to submit a LOR and have put the request in through Naviance at their school. All LORs are listed as "requested" right now. How does this process work? We've heard nothing from the school and didn't get a response from the HS college counselor. I'm assuming the students aren't supposed to send the letter themselves, right? Are the letters sent with the transcript and counselor form all at the same time? My DC would like the letters to be part of the review process, but we aren't sure how that works. Will schools start reviewing before the deadline? None of these are rolling admission schools. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

The school will upload the letters before the deadline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school will upload the letters before the deadline.

Do they send everything together?

We looked in one portal today and it shows what is missing. Since LORs aren't required, they aren't listed. If the school sends the transcript, the boxes will all be checked and the app will be marked complete. How do you make sure the LOR is also included?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school will upload the letters before the deadline.

Do they send everything together?

We looked in one portal today and it shows what is missing. Since LORs aren't required, they aren't listed. If the school sends the transcript, the boxes will all be checked and the app will be marked complete. How do you make sure the LOR is also included?

They don’t send they upload the letters to SCOIR or whatever platform they use. They upload once and all the schools get it. Is your kid applying to any schools where LOR’s are required? If so, check those. If they have them then so will the others.

There are a few exceptions to this. For example, I run an uncommon extracurricular program at my high school. Sometimes I will write a letter for a kid who is in my class and who also particupates in the EC. In that case I write two letters. One that’s a little more generic that talks about their performance in my class and in the EC and the intellectual and character traits they exhibit and one that does all that and has additional information about how they are an asset to the EC and hope to continue it at the school. I select which letter goes to which based on whether the college has the EC. Similarly, I have a friend who went to an Ivy and will write a second version of their letter for kids applying to the same school. That is uncommon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school will upload the letters before the deadline.

Do they send everything together?

We looked in one portal today and it shows what is missing. Since LORs aren't required, they aren't listed. If the school sends the transcript, the boxes will all be checked and the app will be marked complete. How do you make sure the LOR is also included?

They don’t send they upload the letters to SCOIR or whatever platform they use. They upload once and all the schools get it. Is your kid applying to any schools where LOR’s are required? If so, check those. If they have them then so will the others.

There are a few exceptions to this. For example, I run an uncommon extracurricular program at my high school. Sometimes I will write a letter for a kid who is in my class and who also particupates in the EC. In that case I write two letters. One that’s a little more generic that talks about their performance in my class and in the EC and the intellectual and character traits they exhibit and one that does all that and has additional information about how they are an asset to the EC and hope to continue it at the school. I select which letter goes to which based on whether the college has the EC. Similarly, I have a friend who went to an Ivy and will write a second version of their letter for kids applying to the same school. That is uncommon.

So, in theory, the upload will be done based upon the first dealine, correct? My DC hasn't applied to any schools that require LORs, yet, but one of the "required" schools has a 10/15 deadline. Two other 10/15 schools don't require LORs, but we are hoping they will be considered in the review. Then, any school with a deadline after 10/15 should be completed, as well, if my kid did their part. Do I have this correct?

I appreciate the help. I don't know why our HS doesn't cover this at the end of junior year since a lot of kids start working over the summer.

[Anonymous]

Are you sure it wasn’t covered at the end of junior year? I’m a teacher who has worked at multiple schools. Counselors visit classrooms, hold assemblies, send emails, etc.

Your child has to request the recommendations from teachers. (That step should be done by now.) Teachers then upload their letters directly to the school’s college software before the application deadline.

Many teachers write 30,40,50+ letters. It’s very time consuming and has to be done on their own time (nights and weekends). That’s why it’s best to request early. It’s also why some teachers don’t get it done until right before the deadlines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure it wasn’t covered at the end of junior year? I’m a teacher who has worked at multiple schools. Counselors visit classrooms, hold assemblies, send emails, etc.

Your child has to request the recommendations from teachers. (That step should be done by now.) Teachers then upload their letters directly to the school’s college software before the application deadline.

Many teachers write 30,40,50+ letters. It’s very time consuming and has to be done on their own time (nights and weekends). That’s why it’s best to request early. It’s also why some teachers don’t get it done until right before the deadlines.

I am sure. I spoke to other parents who had the same experience. My DC is very in top of these things, hence multiple applications already submitted. They also spoke to their teachers for recs last year and have the requests in our system. We should hear from the college counselor at the school soon, but they haven’t given out any info that addresses how Naviance will actually work. We’ve had to figure it out ourselves.

[Anonymous]

As long as your kid requested the letters in Naviance, they’ve done their part. On the teacher’s end of it, they will write the letter, upload it to Naviance, answer some rating questions in Naviance, and then submit. The letter will be sent to all colleges with that teacher identified. If your kids adds schools later on, the counselor will submit the teacher recommendation when they send the counselor letter. Teachers often work to the due date - don’t expect them to be submitted early. There is some grace period on the due date for teachers on the colleges’ side of things to allow students to check that all items were received and to resolve any problems.