If you want to get a glowing recommendation that helps you get into the top college of your choice, DO the following.
Stand Out Respectfully. Learn How to Think Critically.
Nobody likes a suck-up or brown-noser. And, believe it or not, people can spot one more easily than the guilty party may realize. So how can you stand out without coming across as the “teacher’s pet”? It is good to ask for help when you need it. It is also good to ask questions or even challenge some of the positions posed by your teachers. You need to do this respectfully, of course, because someone who is teaching you has studied the subject and certainly knows more than the average student.
However, questioning an idea—for example why one area of history is covered but not another—is valid. Someone who thinks critically and can formulate and defend an argument is exactly what the top colleges are looking for in an applicant. This does not mean that you should be a pain in the butt and debate everyone all the time, but do NOT be afraid to think and share your thoughts.
Here’s one example of a valid question: In discussing the 1700s in American history, why do most schools focus on the point of view of the Pilgrims and ignore the perspective of the Native Americans? It may be that more is documented, or that which was documented by Native Americans may have been destroyed as potentially dangerous to the colonists.
Another example: When we discuss slavery, why do we not learn that there were Blacks enslaving other Blacks, or islands of free Blacks just off the coast of the mainland of the United States? I do not know the answers, but this level of critical thinking will be required at the top colleges. Your college professors will expect you to think critically, be able to analyze what you read and hear, and take the initiative to do the necessary research to formulate and defend your own opinions. Despite the obsession with the standardized tests and No Child Left Behind campaign, college will present you with far fewer exams that require a mere memorization of facts and figures, and more exams that require research and organized writing- especially for Liberal Arts programs.
So how can thinking critically, writing analytically, and asking questions make you stand out respectfully and potentially lead to getting a glowing letters of recommendation? You want to stand out in your teacher’s memory so that s/he can have something substantial to write about you. The more you stand out as an individual, in a good way, the more it will benefit you. Trust me.
Get into college
