Let the College Application Games Begin
It’s that time of the year again for rising Seniors. Flint Hill’s Class of 2026 is gearing up to start their college applications, a process many of us are all too familiar with. The selection of two faculty members for a college recommendation letter marks the official initiation of this exciting yet also incredibly stressful time. By the end of this academic year, the Juniors will have selected their two recommenders, a decision that can be very daunting to many. Nevertheless, the class of 2026 pushes onward and begins their consideration for the two Flint Hill faculty members they believe will most accurately represent their skills inside and outside of the classroom.
There are numerous things to consider when selecting a recommender. For one thing, you must take into account the major you’ll be applying for and if having a recommendation letter from a professional in that subject may boost your application. Furthermore, it is generally advised that students have one letter written by a STEM teacher and another by someone in the humanities. Ultimately, the choice of teacher and what subject they teach is completely up to each applicant and what they believe will make their application seem more well-rounded. A good piece of advice for picking a recommender would be to ensure that the faculty member can not only speak to your strengths inside the classroom but also as a human in general.
Soon-to-be rising Senior Sabien Reck shared his thoughts about the selection process and how he will go about it. “Although I haven’t made my final decision yet, I have a clear list of teachers in my mind who I believe know me the best.” Reck further added, “It’s a really tough choice as all of the faculty members at Flint Hill are such great people and I know they would all do a great job writing a letter of recommendation.” Ultimately, Reck will have to consider his choices not only based on the context of his application but also on how well the teacher knows him outside the classroom and as a person in general.
Furthermore, Junior Sam Jacobsen has already finalized his decision on who will be writing his coveted recommendation letter. “I knew that I definitely wanted a letter from both a STEM faculty member and a humanities one,” he said, adding that he selected recommenders from some of the harder courses he was taking as they could speak to his work ethic. “Although the teachers I chose were not from the easiest courses I was taking, I felt really proud of the work I had accomplished in their courses and hope that my responsibility and hard work will shine through in their letters. I also just really enjoyed their classes and love them as teachers, I think we have a great relationship.”
All in all, a teacher recommendation letter is only a small part of the application process, yet it can seem overwhelming as students begin to grapple with applying to colleges and putting themselves out there. The most important thing to consider is the relationship you have with the faculty member, and not necessarily stressing out too much over the subject they may teach or if it does not match with your intended major. I wish the best of luck to all of the Huskies applying to college in the 2025-2026 academic year and cannot wait to see where everyone ends up!
