If you need letters from your teachers, you should ask teachers who know you well and who can say something specific and unique about you as a student. You can also get optional recommendations, which are best written by individuals who know you well in a context where you shine. Examples include deans, additional teachers, coaches, employers, and community service directors.

Sit down with your parents (or perhaps an older sibling or close friends) and brainstorm names of three to five potential teacher recommenders. Ask yourself:

• With whom have I had the best relationship?
• What classes have I enjoyed the most?
• In whose classes have I received the best grades and/or performed in some special way?
• Has any teacher sponsored me for an award, written previous recommendations, or asked me to be a teaching assistant?
• Who is going to totally sing my praises?

For each teacher, assign a number from 1 (terrible) to 10 (the best!) based on what kind of recommendation you think they will write, and then pick the two with the highest scores.