Hanah Lim, a former high school English teacher and current Director of Workshops at College Essay Guy, shares valuable insights on writing recommendation letters. She discusses the ideal length and format, and how letters vary between counselors and teachers. Hanah emphasizes the importance of personal anecdotes and background context to effectively advocate for students. Additionally, the conversation explores innovative tools, including AI, to streamline the writing process while maintaining a personal touch.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Hannah's Teaching Journey
Hannah Lim was a wallflower in high school and didn't envision teaching there.
She was inspired by her English teachers and aimed to be a role model she lacked.
insights INSIGHT
Recommendation Letter Weight
Recommendation letters' importance varies by college, with highly selective schools valuing them more.
Letters rarely tip the scales dramatically; they provide context and reinforce existing application themes.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Letter Length Discrepancy
Hannah was initially shocked by the length difference between independent and public school recommendation letters.
Tom's explanation about contextual evaluation eased her concerns.
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Today’s episode is all about writing letters of recommendation for teachers and counselors. Continuing our series on What Colleges Want, Tom Campbell (CEG’s Community Manager) is joined by Hanah Lim (CEG’s Director of Workshops and a former high school English teacher), where they provide their tips, tricks, and hacks to help you write more efficient and effective letters for your students.
Tom and Hanah discuss:
How long should letters be and what format works best?
How do letters differ between counselors and teachers?
What details might be helpful to include, and what should be avoided?
How can teachers and counselors efficiently gather more information about their students to include in the letter?
We hope you enjoy the episode!
In case you missed it: Students and families, be sure to check out last week’s episode with Ayesha King to learn about what goes into a letter of recommendation, how they are evaluated by colleges, and who students should consider asking.
Hanah Lim is the Director of Workshops at College Essay Guy and a former public high school English teacher. She oversees College Essay Guy's essay and application workshop team and organizes speaking events and college application and essay workshops for students at schools and organizations in the US and around the world. She has presented college essay workshops to thousands of students across diverse settings, including community-based organizations, public, international, and independent schools. She also worked as a college consultant for students in Bangkok, Thailand, directed SAT prep centers in Irvine, California and worked with non-profit groups and as an AVID teacher and coordinator to help close the achievement gap. She holds a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Education from California State University of Long Beach. Hanah finds joy in watching musicals, visiting Disney parks with her husband, and playing with her two cats.
Play-by-Play
2:19 - Hanah and Tom share their school contexts for writing their letters of recommendation
5:40 - How much weight do letters of recommendation hold in admission?
10:25 - What is the best practice for the length of a letter of recommendation for college?
10:57 - How should it be formatted?
14:03 - Should a letter be customized for each college?
15:38 - What else is submitted with the student’s application from the high school?
16:19 - What is covered in the school profile?
19:44 - What is covered in the counselor’s letter?
25:25 - What is covered in the teacher's letter?
30:46 - How does the Supreme Court ruling on race-conscious admission affect letters of recommendation?
36:29 - What generally might be not as helpful to include in the letter?
40:38 - Hanah shares her process for writing letters of recommendation
49:18 - Tom shares his process for writing letters of recommendation
59:01 - How to incorporate a student’s essay brainstorming work
1:01:37 - How could generative AI be utilized in the recommendation writing process?
The College Essay Guy Podcast: A Practical Guide to College Admissions