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. Go to your guidance counselor first. The procedure is different in every school and you want to make sure that you go about it the right way. Find out if your school does the letter submitting as part of sending your transcripts, or if you'll be asking your teacher to do it. You'll want to make it as easy as possible for your teacher, who likely will be writing for many students each year.
2. Figure out who you are going to ask. Give some thought to which of your teachers you have the best relationship with. Which one knows you (and your efforts) the best? The LOR will be a detailed account about your positive traits that relate to learning. You should secure one letter from a teacher of a core class (science, social studies, foreign language, English or math) and if you like, another from a coach or music instructor if you are going to be focusing on those areas in college.
3. Timing is everything. Remember that your teachers have lives outside of the classroom, so be courteous about holidays and time off. In other words, don't request a LOR from them just before a school break. Also, take note of the timing of finals and projects and be sensitive when they will be busy with grading duties. Start with your college deadlines and then back your request up by a couple months.
4. You're ready to ask ' in person. Put your nerves on the back burner and be mature as you ask this of your teacher. They consider writing a LOR as part of their job, so be confident as you ask for their help. Do not use email or voicemail and rehearse your question until you are comfortable with it. If you've chosen the right teacher, your compliments about their impact on your studies will come off as natural and not brown-nosing. That's good! Give the teacher credit for bringing out the best in you and point out the challenges that he or she has seen you face in the classroom.
5. After you pose your request and the teacher has accepted, hand over a folder with everything needed to complete the task. It should include your school resume, your contact information, the appropriate recommendation form for each college that you will apply to, self-addressed/stamped envelopes (or a plain envelope for your high school guidance office if that's the method from your school) and a thank-you note for their time spend. Also, you should include your personal statement and statement of purpose (directions for which can be found on the internet.)
You'll need at least two solid LORs. Be sure to drop by with good news after you get accepted and stay in touch through the years to share your successes to reward your teachers' efforts.
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