Letter of Recommendation
from your counselor
Who needs a counselor LOR?
● Counselors Letters of Recommendation (LOR) are required for a many Common App
schools
● If using another application verify if a counselor letter or school report is needed.
● UCs, CSUs and Community Colleges do not allow LOR (except for EOP)
● Verify if a counselor LOR is required by your college before requesting one.
LOR requirements are listed
on your Common App
Seniors applying directly on the college
website verify the application requirements on
their admissions page
Example of admissions website
What is in a Counselor LOR ?
The counselor LOR will provide descriptions of the students involvement in clubs, sports,
volunteering with other pursuits in school and in the community. The letter can also
explain the student’s transcript in regards to unusual circumstances with performance
and/or course selections. The counselor can provide valuable insight to student’s positive
character attributes.
Students will have input into the content of the letter. You will have the opportunity to
share important information with your counselor through the questionnaire, resume, and
possibly a personal meeting.
What is School Report ?
● Included in a School Report is Carlmont’s academic
program in general, our transcript information,
counselor contact information.
● Counselors will automatically send a School Report
with their LOR and your transcript.
● Some colleges will not require a LOR but they will
require a School Report from your counselor. Check
your Common App or college website to verify they
only require a School Report. Inform your counselor
if your college only requires a School Report.
Informing your counselor of LOR needs
● For the Class of 2024 - counselors are making senior appointments to review graduation requirements, general check in and
college guidance. During your Senior meeting please inform your counselor of any LOR needs. Counselors will prioritize their
letters according to the application deadline. You can also email your counselor about any LOR needs.
● If your application is Early Action or Early Decision and you have NOT informed your counselor, email your counselor today!
The subject line of your email should be EA or ED Counselor LOR Request, inform him/her of deadline.
● Important that your deadlines are listed correctly in Naviance.
● Last day to request a LOR for regular decision application is Nov 17 (even if you have an January deadline) or three weeks prior
to deadline (whichever comes rst) Last day to request a LOR for EA/ED decision application is September 29 or three weeks
prior to deadline (whichever comes rst)
● Counselors may not be able to accommodate your request for a letter if it is less than 3 weeks prior to application deadline.
● This process is all about communication - informing your counselor sooner rather than later is the best policy.
Complete prior to counselor writing your LOR
● Recommendation Letter (Common App) Questionnaire
○ Located in Naviance
○ Under the About Me pull down
○ Select Surveys from my school
○ Letter of Recommendation (Common App)
Recommendation Letter
(Common App)
Questionnaire
● There are 15 questions in the survey.
● This questionnaire will take about 1 hour to complete. The
questionnaire times out in Naviance so I suggest copy and pasting
the questions into a google doc, doing your work there. When
completed then copy and paste back into the questionnaire in
Naviance.
● Your answers will support the letter writing process for your
counselor.
● Some teachers will also use this questionnaire to write their LOR.
● Some questions are optional and some are required.
● Be thorough in your questionnaire.
Complete resume to support LOR
○ Resume
■ Located in Naviance
■ Under the About Me pull down
■ Select Resume
If you already have a resume created (not on Naviance) send it to
your counselor to support your letter
Adding colleges to your application list after your counselor LOR has been sent
● Inform your counselor
● On the Recommenders/FERPA page of your Common App will indicate when your
counselor has sent your letter
Example on Common App
It will state the
submitted date
Your deadlines must be correct in Naviance on the Colleges
I’m Applying to page
Changing your deadline for an application
● You must ask your counselor if he/she can accommodate
● Just changing the deadline in Naviance is not enough.
● You must also ask your teacher if he/she can
accommodate the date change.
Important
Important Information
● All colleges must be listed in Naviance
● Naviance must be matched to Common App
● Counselor do not write letters during school breaks or weekend.
● Letters or school reports are not automatically sent, counselors need to go into the
senior’s Naviance account to send.
● Deadline to request a counselor LOR
○ Last day to request a LOR for regular decision application is Nov 17 (even if you have an January deadline) or three
weeks prior to deadline (whichever comes rst) Last day to request a LOR for EA/ED decision application is
September 29 or three weeks prior to deadline (whichever comes rst)
● Your counselor will send your initial transcript with your letter if that is the college
requirement.
