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usna35

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Nov 17, 2019
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How do I break the ice with a teacher that will eventually give me a letter of recommendation? How do I begin talking to them about the Naval Academy, and what I want to do? Just unsure of how to start the first conversation about that.
 
Do not be afraid to be open and honest with them about your future intentions. Be courteous and introduce yourself and make sure to always participate in class to get yourself known. When the teacher gets to know you better then talk to them about how you are interested in pursuing an appointment to the Naval Academy and that you would be grateful if they would write a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
 
usna35 said:
How do I break the ice with a teacher that will eventually give me a letter of recommendation? How do I begin talking to them about the Naval Academy, and what I want to do? Just unsure of how to start the first conversation about that.
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Do detailed research upfront.

Are you thinking letters of recommendation for your elected officials’ noms, and have you researched each of their websites to see what they require, format, due date, etc.? These processes can and do vary among all elected officials.

I believe USNA requires evaluation forms filled out by specific teachers in certain subjects online via a link, but the primary source is your best answer. This is an area I am weak in, not having seen the current application in a portal. Have you read every page, link and hamburger menu item at USNA.edu, taken notes, identified action items, started working on a timeline?

Once you are armed with facts, then you can speak knowledgeably about your request. Be respectful of their time and schedule, and ask if you can have 15 minutes to let them know about some upcoming college-related tasks. If you don’t think they are familiar with the Service Academies, you could do a little one-pager hand-out with some bullet points on the mission, the fact you get a BS degree at a highly-ranked institution, and a guaranteed career as an officer after graduation, your goals, etc.

Learning how to articulate a request, express key points and action steps orally to people in authority is a core officer skill. No time like the present to start - you can do this.
 
When DD went to her English teacher, the teacher tried to talk her out of going to a SA (we're in a very liberal town). She did come around & wrote the letter. Be prepared to explain your commitment to service.
 
Capt MJ said:
Do detailed research upfront.

Are you thinking letters of recommendation for your elected officials’ noms, and have you researched each of their websites to see what they require, format, due date, etc.? These processes can and do vary among all elected officials.

I believe USNA requires evaluation forms filled out by specific teachers in certain subjects online via a link, but the primary source is your best answer. This is an area I am weak in, not having seen the current application in a portal. Have you read every page, link and hamburger menu item at USNA.edu, taken notes, identified action items, started working on a timeline?

Once you are armed with facts, then you can speak knowledgeably about your request. Be respectful of their time and schedule, and ask if you can have 15 minutes to let them know about some upcoming college-related tasks. If you don’t think they are familiar with the Service Academies, you could do a little one-pager hand-out with some bullet points on the mission, the fact you get a BS degree at a highly-ranked institution, and a guaranteed career as an officer after graduation, your goals, etc.

Learning how to articulate a request, express key points and action steps orally to people in authority is a core officer skill. No time like the present to start - you can do this.
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Yes that is what I am thinking of. Thanks, you have some good ideas that I will talk to my teachers about.
 
Wishful said:
When DD went to her English teacher, the teacher tried to talk her out of going to a SA (we're in a very liberal town). She did come around & wrote the letter. Be prepared to explain your commitment to service.
Click to expand...
Wow, I will make sure I am prepared.
 
As with everything in life, get them invested in your success and they are more likely to want to help you succeed. Don't just focus on the letter you want, help them focus on your learning before that. Talk to them about how the subject will help you, give them updates on your small steps in the process, etc.
 
+1 to @FtWorth dd Dad.

Don't start with “I need you to...”

Instead, lead with “I’m applying to SA, and to be a strong candidate, I need to excel in your class...”

Then, “What can I do to excel?”

Then, “If I do excel, will you please do for me...”
 
Agree with all those who have offered advice already. We live in a very liberal area also; so, it could have been a bit of a mine field. She chose to wait until further along in classes to ask for those recommendations, when they knew her work ethic and dedication to her academics. When she did approach them, she was very respectful, but also upfront. She asked them if they open to writing her a positive letter of recommendation to the academies and articulated that this a life long commitment for her, not just college. My second piece of advice: when you ask for them to write the recommendation, have your student resume ready to email to them or hand them a paper copy of it. My DD is in running start; so, the professors had no idea what she was involved in outside there classroom. Providing that information to someone writing a LOR can literally change it from MEH to great.
 
All advice above on point.
Our DS let teachers know his goal early on. He showed up early, stayed late, asked for help when needed and took responsibility for his grades in every class.
Spring of junior year, he enlisted the teachers, guidance counseling office and coach in the process. He explained that for nominations it would be a traditional letter of recommendation.

For SA evaluations he let them know it would be an email they received with a link to an evaluation. Teachers let him know there was room for 'additional remarks' after the form eval.

His Chem teacher didn't do the eval until he had driven an hour to observe son teaching TaeKwonDo. They really got invested in the process!

He also provided his resume to each, his English teacher was surprised to find out he spent as much time in his out of school sport as he did, she didn't know. She told him it impressed her even more that he managed his time well.

He also provided each with the SA mission statement so they could see and understand what type of leader SA's are looking for.
Be respectful and forthright, be authentic.
All of their work paid off, they were invited by the Senator's office to be in the guidance office when the surprise call of Appointment came through. We all needed kleenex. I believe most educators, and those involved in kid's lives will see the value in your goal and support it and you.
 
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