Jaime All high school students are aware of the importance of good grades and standardized test scores. However, there is another factor that is just as important for their success in college: being an engaged student in the classroom.
What does it mean to be an engaged student?
An engaged student is someone who is actively involved in their learning. They come to class prepared, participate in discussions, and ask questions. They also express interest in the material and want to learn more about it.
Why is being an engaged student important?
Being an engaged student will help students to learn and retain more information. When they are actively involved in their learning, they are more likely to pay attention and remember what they are taught.
Being an engaged student will also help them to develop transferable skills such as critical thinking and communication skills. Transferable skills are essential for success in college and beyond, and when reading applications, admissions officers are looking for evidence of the development of these skills.
Usually, the evidence that a student has successfully developed transferable skills is found in a required component of the university application: teacher letters of recommendation. While many students and parents believe that students should prioritize the request of recommendations from the teachers of classes where they are achieving the highest grades, this is not the best approach. Here’s why. Teachers do not report on grades in their letters of recommendation for students, as their grades are already provided to universities through the transcript. It is simply a waste of valuable space for teachers to repeat items already shared in the application. Likewise, teachers do not write about the activities on the student’s list, unless the teacher has had direct experience of this student engaged in a particular activity.
As with many things we should be aware of in the application process, we must remember the purpose of the teacher recommendation. We must remember that admissions officers have their own puzzle to create as they try to find out if a student is a good fit for their community. In order to create their community, they seek to discover what an applicant is like in the classroom.
Admissions officers ask themselves the following questions when reading applications and reviewing recommendation letters: In what ways does this student engage with their learning? Do they ask questions, participate in discussions, organize their time well, help struggling peers? Do they visit the teachers during office hours when they struggle with material? How does the student perform during group projects? Is the student communicative with their teacher and with their peers?
Essentially, if a student achieves perfect grades, but sits quietly in class and chooses not to be an active and engaged learner, then there is little a teacher can say in a recommendation letter. Sometimes, it is the students who have struggled with a concept in the material, the student with less than perfect grades, that actually permits a teacher to expand on the students personality, character, and dedication to progress (IF that student is engaging in actions that demonstrate dedication to improvement)!
TIP: Prior to requesting the teacher recommendations, students should speak directly to their counselors to discuss the classes where they show the highest level of participation, engagement and dedication to education.
How can your son or daughter become a more engaged student?
Here are a few tips for students:
- Come to class prepared. This means reading the assigned material and taking notes.
- Participate in discussions. This means asking and answering questions and sharing your thoughts and ideas.
- Get involved in extracurricular activities. This is a great way to meet other students and learn new things.
- Talk with your teachers. If you are struggling with a particular subject, don't be afraid to ask for help. In fact, asking for help is a skill, and you need to develop this prior to your university education! Universities want to know that a student can be proactive and a self advocate. They seek to admit students who will be able to handle the challenges involved in higher education.
How can teacher recommendation letters help you with your university applications?
Teacher recommendation letters can play a significant role in your university applications. These letters provide admissions officers with a personal perspective on your academic abilities, work ethic, and character. A strong recommendation letter can help you to stand out from the competition and make a positive impression on admissions officers.
Here are a few tips for getting good teacher recommendation letters:
- Build relationships with your teachers. Get to know your teachers outside of class. Talk to them about your interests and goals.
- Give your teachers plenty of information. When the time comes for requesting letters of recommendation, students will be provided with a survey to complete for the specific teacher. When answered thoughtfully, the questions on the survey provide the teacher with information as to why the student selected them, and the aspects of the class the student found most challenging and most rewarding.
In addition to the tips above, here are a few other things to keep in mind:
- Be yourself. Don't try to be someone you're not. Admissions officers can spot a fake a mile away.
- Be passionate about your interests. Admissions officers want to see that you are passionate about something. Whether it's academics, athletics, or extracurricular activities, show them what you're passionate about.
- Be a team player. Admissions officers want to see that you can work well with others. Get involved in group projects and extracurricular activities that require teamwork and collaboration.
- Practice the act of self -reflection. Ask yourself why you do what you do and why you have specific interests.
- Be Prepared. Start early. Look at Uni applications now. Explore the required application essay topics now.