Letters of Recommendation

If you can only submit one letter of recommendation, which is best to ensure that your nom packet is competetive:
a) Principal
b) Counselor
c) Coach/Teacher

I'd go with whichever can speak to your/DS's/DD's leadership capability, responsibility, character, military motivation, etc. best. For me, it's c just because I've spent the most time with my teachers and they know who I am best.

OH Wrestling Mom said:

If you can only submit one letter of recommendation, which is best to ensure that your nom packet is competetive:
a) Principal
b) Counselor
c) Coach/Teacher

Click to expand...

The correct answer is that it really depends on other factors outside of their title. For example, one of my DS's teachers was a retired Army Colonel who happened to have been an instructor at West Point, as well as being an admissions counselor at the USMA. While our DS had a fantastic principal and counselor, we thought his teacher would provide the insight needed in the letter of recommendation. On a side note, most of the people that wrote letters of recommendation for our DS provided an "extra" letter or asked us to preview their letter prior to submission. Of course we didn't include the ones that were questionable. (Like the one from a teacher who had typos in her letter.) On the other hand, we were pleasantly surprised by the letter written by one of his asst. football coaches. The man was mild mannered and never showed very much emotion. He emailed us a copy of his letter. We found out that he was a retired LTC in the USMC and he nailed our DS's leadership qualities on and off the field. So, the simple answer is...that it depends. Good luck.

ditto with KP2020dad comments. The best one for the letter is the one who 1. takes the letter seriously, and 2. knows the candidate, and 3. has some credentialing. In that order. We were absolutely floored by the time and effort most of DS's letters of recommendation writers spent on these items, and that applied to both school related and non-school related. In person meetings with DS, requests for resumes and grade indications, etc. We too had the opportunity to see the letters. (which is something that is important to do to make sure the letters are appropriate. We read the letters and tears nearly came to our eyes, and, heartfelt hugs given to the letter writers. You will be surprised how many people take this responsibility seriously--more seriously than you ever dreamed. They took on the letter as if it was their life they were writing for.

Was wondering if anyone is having difficulties getting school administration, particularly counselor, to cooperate in completing the nom application.

DS is unfortunate enough to have a counselor that is set in his way and doesn't want to help with the transcript. He recently rounded up the teachers' rec letters and would not relinquish them to DS to complete and send in this entire paper package. DS tried to explain but counselor would not listen. Applications due into moc offices by first week of Oct. I have a scheduled meeting with the school official including the counselor to discuss the issue. DS is very disappointed that counselor doesn't want to cooperate. Personally, I am ticked off because the counselor doesn't seem to understand or has no interests in helping the aspiring student but stuck in his own way. Very unprofessional ....

tex2021 said:

Was wondering if anyone is having difficulties getting school administration, particularly counselor, to cooperate in completing the nom application.

DS is unfortunate enough to have a counselor that is set in his way and doesn't want to help with the transcript. He recently rounded up the teachers' rec letters and would not relinquish them to DS to complete and send in this entire paper package. DS tried to explain but counselor would not listen. Applications due into moc offices by first week of Oct. I have a scheduled meeting with the school official including the counselor to discuss the issue. DS is very disappointed that counselor doesn't want to cooperate. Personally, I am ticked off because the counselor doesn't seem to understand or has no interests in helping the aspiring student but stuck in his own way. Very unprofessional ....

Click to expand...

DS had a similar issue last year. Counselor was openly hostile to kids from the school attending military academies. My advice to DS (which worked for the most part) was to draft up whatever e-mail the guy had to send as if it were coming from the counsellor and then very respectfully send it to the counselor and say something like "I know you are very busy dealing with many students and that the service academy apps take additional steps. To make it easier for you, I have drafted an e-mail that you can simply forward to [relevant e-mail address] together with the following attachments [list what's needed]. Please bear in mind that there is a hard deadline for this e-mail of [date]. Many thanks." If that hadn't worked, I was prepared to visit the school and remind them of counselor's job responsibilities and the potential consequences (to DS and the school) of him not fulfilling them in a timely manner. DS just finished plebe summer, so all ended well. Best of luck.

I can't speak for all BGOs, but if the student and parent(s) are having difficulty with school officials after you have exhausted almost all avenues...email or call us. Typically we are assigned to designated schools, so sometimes we know specific people at the school who could get the ball rolling. I can't speak for the other SAs, but hopefully the liaison officers could help in a similar way.