October is brutal. I’ve heard more than one college counselor refer to it as “Suck-tober.”
Rec letters, early deadlines, FAFSA updates, last-minute questions from seniors, meetings you didn’t plan for — and somehow you’re supposed to sit down and write thoughtful, personalized letters in the middle of all that?
July is quieter. That’s what makes it the perfect time to write just a couple letters for your “high flyer” students. The ones applying early and who apply to the types of schools that read counselor letters. The ones you know you’ll need to take your time with. The ones you already know what you want to say.
This isn’t about getting ahead on everything. It’s about making fall less painful.
Who to Write For
Pick a handful of students who:
- Are applying Early Decision or Early Action
- Need extra context to be understood (high impact, low visibility)
- You know well enough to write from the heart
- Will likely need extra letters for scholarships or honors programs
No need to write all of your letters this summer. Even one strong letter now is a win.
Not Sure What to Say? Try This
I have my students fill out a questionnaire via Google Form to help jog my memory, fill in some gaps for me, and give them a voice in the process. Some counselors call this a brag sheet, which sounds more fun. It’s a mix of the usual questions and a few that go deeper — things like:
- “What do you wish colleges understood about students like you?”
- “What’s something you care about now that you didn’t care about when you started high school?”
- “Tell me about a time you showed up for someone else.”
- “Write a 4 sentence college recommendation about yourself in the 3rd person.” – This one is weird for the students, but I have found some really rich pieces of information from them and it is fascinating to see how they perceive themselves.
Copy My Student Brag Sheet Template (Google Doc)
Even if you don’t like this exact version, it can help spark ideas when you’re staring at a blank doc. Make it your own and change the questions for the types of things you like to write about.
A Few Writing Tips That Help Later
- Don’t over-edit now. You can tweak in October if you need to. It is just good to have words on paper.
- Start with a clear sentence: “Jeremy is the kind of student who…”
- One specific moment or concrete skill is better than five generic compliments.
- Save it somewhere smart so you’re not hunting later. I use GoogleDrive.
- Leave a comment to yourself if you’re waiting on fall updates. Highlight the “note to self” so you don’t forget to edit it. Nobody feels good about submitting a letter with an incomplete sentence or a “note to self”.
You don’t need to write all of your students’ letters now. But writing a few while things are still quiet can make a real difference later — for your students and for your own sanity.
Having said that, I know my circumstances are different: I am on a 12-month contract and 100% of my students apply to college. However, I think that writing a few high-stakes letters in the summer can benefit many counselors and make their life easier in the fall.
Need help structuring a tricky letter? Or want someone to glance over a draft? Email me anytime: jeremy@higheredification.org.