When should I start asking for letters of recommendation?
- Thread starter service1
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Do you mean the recommendation letters for the USNA application? If that is the case, USNA requires academic evaluations from your english, and math teachers/professors. If you are talking about the recommendation letters for civilian colleges, then you should start asking around now and if you do, make sure to keep in touch with them throughout the year.
I mean, for USAFA and USNA you need your teachers to write the recommendations on the actual website if I remember correctly. I would mention it for sure but you can't actually get the item checked off the list until your candidate kit opens.
cluelesscandidateparents
Proud Parents of USNA and USAFA Candidate
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The portal will send a link to the teachers you select i believe
SandBaby
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I told my teachers what I was hoping to accomplish, let them know that the portal likely would open over the Summer and asked if they would mind if I reached out over the Summer for an evaluation/rec letter. Most were more than happy to give me contact information to reach them during the break. My teachers were totally awesome 
Best advice I have is just to lay out all of the details as soon as you can. It might not be practical for SA apps but in general, try to ask for all recs/evals from a particular instructor at one time. You’ll likely have to get rec letters from the same teachers for multiple institutions. Figure out exactly what you need from a particular teacher and ask them for all of the copies/evals at once so you don’t have to keep asking them. Definitely provide stamped envelopes and emails if required and always follow up with a thank you note.
^^same goes for nomination applications which (depending on where you’re at) usually open during the Summer/early Fall
Best advice I have is just to lay out all of the details as soon as you can. It might not be practical for SA apps but in general, try to ask for all recs/evals from a particular instructor at one time. You’ll likely have to get rec letters from the same teachers for multiple institutions. Figure out exactly what you need from a particular teacher and ask them for all of the copies/evals at once so you don’t have to keep asking them. Definitely provide stamped envelopes and emails if required and always follow up with a thank you note.
^^same goes for nomination applications which (depending on where you’re at) usually open during the Summer/early Fall
Yeah, true. I couldn't get a letter of rec from a math teacher for a senator nomination application as the teacher was very busy. I still got the nomination in the end though!
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Our DS had a teacher tell him she didn’t “do recommendations “. Whatever that meant.
Since she was a Dept chair and was teaching dual credit classes I thought she was legit. I was a coworker and chose to step back. Take off my mama bear hat.
DS explained the process and the requirements. She then asked him to write his own recommendation and she would sign it.
I had to get involved at this point. Needless to say she doesn’t like me or request me as her guest teacher now.
He explained in detail that it was a virtual survey and that she was required to participate. Not a standard letter of recommendation.
Who knows what she finally said. But it was a box he checked.
And the teacher had the gall to be in the invited room of people when he found out he received his appointment. She bawled. It was tough to witness. And stomach.
Not everyone who counsels you or teaches you can reconcile the role you will now play. They may want good things for you and be politically on different spectrums.
They may have no idea of the road you have chosen. Most don’t.
Teach them with kindness and a smile.
When the portal opens for C/O '27 you'll enter in your teachers information and an online form will be sent to them via email. I didn't receive my login credentials until sometime in the summer, so you still have time. I would inform your teachers about your situation and ask them if they have a preferred email that they will check during the summer.
Nomination recommendations are different for every source so you would have to check out your Congressman and Senators websites for more information. Just search up their name and nominations are usually under a tab labeled "Services."
You really aren't given much guidance. I asked my teachers around this time and they started preparing a basic recommendation letter on my behalf. When the portal for C/O '27 opens you will enter in the information and the person writing your letter will send the necessary information. NOTE: I would recommend having somebody who isn't a teacher write a letter of rec, for example I had my hockey coach and my boss from work write me one. I felt that it demonstrates that you have strong leadership outside of the classroom which goes a long way.
GuitarDude637
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Nomination recommendations will depend on your representative/senators, one of mine requires 3 LORs (letters of recommendation) from anyone, and another requires one from an educator and another from a peer (classmate/friend)
My response is a bit late, but like most of the people said, getting them as early as possible should be a priority. Make sure you send them reminder emails every once in a while saying "Hey remember the LOR? How is it going so far?" just incase they forget(I had a few teacher forget, they are busy people). Goodluck
The above is USNA application requirement for English & Math evaluations. I just quoted the instruction for English as an example, the same instruction for Math. You'll see it when you start your USNA application online. Hope it helps.
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Also one more note, have teachers check junk mail. Also, provide them an up to date resume and enlist them in your dream. Write thank you notes after the process is over.
With the number of various questions being asked above, seems we are jumbling different topics. If you are talking about recommendations for MOC NOM's, the best place to get that information is from the latest MOC website. Each MOC runs their own process and what they asked for last year may be different from this year and could be different from what MOC's in other parts of the country request. Part of their application process is about attention to detail and following instructions. What they asked for 3 yrs ago may no longer be current practice. They also specify the timeframe for when NOM applications will be accepted.
USNA asks for specific h.s. teachers to fill out an 'evaluation' which is different from a 'recommendation' type letter associated with other colleges. As mentioned above, you can learn more about those requirements within the online USNA application.
USNA asks for specific h.s. teachers to fill out an 'evaluation' which is different from a 'recommendation' type letter associated with other colleges. As mentioned above, you can learn more about those requirements within the online USNA application.
redraider2022
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I asked for my actual written letters of recommendation from teachers at the end of my junior year. For teacher evaluations, I just let my teachers know that I am applying for the ______ Academy and they will be receiving the pertinent forms to complete by email in the future, which I would follow up with them on. I would also be prepared to submit letters of recommendation while you apply for a Congressional Nomination. In all 3 applications I submitted for a nomination, I was required to have 3 letters of recommendation included.