How I Got PERFECT Ivy League Rec Letters (FULL GUIDE)

Summary

This video script offers a comprehensive guide for high school students on securing impactful recommendation letters for college applications. It emphasizes the importance of building genuine relationships with teachers, excelling academically, and demonstrating personal qualities outside the classroom. The speaker shares personal strategies for standing out, such as engaging in class, volunteering for tasks, and excelling in extracurricular activities, all while fostering mutual respect and gratitude towards educators.

Takeaways

• 🎓 **Importance of Rec Letters**: Recommendation letters are crucial for college applications, often required in sets of three from a counselor and two teachers.
• 🔍 **Choosing the Right Teachers**: For STEM students, having at least one STEM teacher is mandatory, and for others, one teacher from the field of interest and one from a different field is recommended.
• 🏫 **Impact of Rec Letters**: A bad recommendation letter can negatively impact a student's application, showing a lack of teacher engagement or care.
• 🤔 **Building Teacher Relationships**: Fostering genuine relationships with teachers can lead to better rec letters, as teachers are more likely to write positively about students they know and like.
• 🏆 **Academic Performance**: Consistently achieving high grades in classes is essential to demonstrate intelligence and work ethic, which are key qualities in rec letters.
• 📚 **Standing Out in Class**: Going above and beyond in assignments, especially ungraded ones, can catch a teacher's attention and lead to a memorable impression.
• 🤝 **Social Skills Matter**: Developing likable social skills and being personable can make a student more memorable to teachers, improving the chances of a strong rec letter.
• 🙋‍♂️ **Volunteering in Class**: Being the first to volunteer for tasks or to answer questions can demonstrate leadership and reliability, qualities valued in rec letters.
• 👥 **Clubs and Extracurriculars**: Participating in and excelling at extracurricular activities, especially those led by teachers, can provide additional opportunities to stand out.
• 🌟 **Recognition Outside School**: Achieving recognition for projects or activities outside of school can impress teachers and make a student more notable, enhancing the rec letter.
• 💬 **Expressing Gratitude**: Genuinely thanking teachers for their support and expressing how they've positively impacted a student's life can create a lasting, positive impression.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of recommendation letters in the college application process?

The primary purpose of recommendation letters is to provide colleges with an additional perspective on the student's character, academic credentials, leadership abilities, and personality from the viewpoint of a teacher who has interacted with the student.

How many recommendation letters are typically required for competitive college applications?

The overwhelming majority of competitive college applications require at least three recommendation letters, usually from a counselor and two different teachers.

What is the recommended approach for students interested in STEM fields when choosing teachers for recommendation letters?

For STEM students, it is recommended to have at least one teacher from a STEM field, such as math or science, and one non-STEM teacher, like an English or history teacher, who can speak on the student's other characteristics.

Why is it important to build a relationship with teachers early on in high school?

Building a relationship with teachers early on helps students stand out and be remembered by their teachers, which can be crucial when seeking recommendation letters that reflect positively on the student's abilities and character.

What are some non-academic activities that can help a student stand out to their teachers?

Participating in clubs, sports, or community service, especially if the student takes on a leadership role or achieves recognition for their work, can help them stand out to teachers and strengthen their recommendation letters.

How can a student demonstrate their work ethic and determination to their teachers?

A student can demonstrate their work ethic and determination by consistently achieving high grades, going above and beyond on assignments, especially those that are not graded, and showing genuine curiosity and interest in the subject matter.

What is the significance of participating in ungraded assignments to stand out academically?

Participating in ungraded assignments allows a student to stand out because many classmates may not put effort into them, and teachers are more likely to notice and appreciate the extra effort put forth by the student.

How can a student's social skills in the classroom contribute to a positive recommendation letter?

A student's social skills, such as being personable, responding positively to praise, and engaging in class discussions, can contribute to a positive recommendation letter by creating a likable image and fostering a good rapport with the teacher.

What is the 'Trifecta' strategy mentioned in the script for getting good recommendation letters?

The 'Trifecta' strategy includes: 1) being the go-to person for the teacher in class, 2) having out-of-classroom experiences with the teacher, such as being part of a club they advise, and 3) showing personal qualities and achievements outside of school that gain recognition and make the teacher proud.

Why is it important for students to express gratitude to their teachers for their support and guidance?

Expressing gratitude helps to establish a deeper connection with the teacher, shows appreciation for their efforts, and can make a lasting impression that may be reflected positively in a recommendation letter.

What is the final strategy mentioned in the script for elevating a student's chances of getting good recommendation letters?

The final strategy is to gain recognition for extracurricular activities that showcase the student's personal qualities and achievements, which can lead to teachers respecting and remembering the student more positively.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Building Strong Teacher-Student Relationships for Recommendation Letters

The speaker emphasizes the importance of establishing a strong presence in high school to secure meaningful recommendation letters for college applications. They discuss the need to stand out academically and socially to be remembered by teachers, suggesting that students should aim to be memorable, not just by their grades, but also by their active participation and personal interactions with teachers. The paragraph highlights the significance of recommendation letters in college applications and the strategy of cultivating relationships with teachers to receive impactful letters.

05:01

🏆 Achieving Academic Excellence and Classroom Engagement

This paragraph focuses on the necessity of excelling academically and being actively engaged in the classroom to be noticed by teachers. The speaker advises students to consistently earn top grades, especially in classes taught by teachers they wish to request recommendation letters from. They also stress the importance of building connections with teachers early on in high school and continuing to strengthen those relationships throughout their academic career. The speaker provides tips on how to stand out, such as going above and beyond on assignments and participating in class discussions, which can lead to a teacher's deeper recognition and appreciation.

10:03

🤝 Developing Likeability and Social Skills in the Classroom

The speaker discusses the value of having a likable personality and good social skills to win teachers' favor. They explain that being attentive, asking relevant questions, and showing genuine interest in the subject matter can make a student stand out positively. The paragraph also touches on the idea that not every teacher will like every student, and that's okay, as long as a student can build strong relationships with a few key teachers. The speaker encourages students to observe and learn from their peers who naturally excel in social interactions, adapting those skills to their own classroom experiences.

15:04

🏅 Leveraging Extracurricular Activities and Demonstrating Leadership

The paragraph delves into the impact of extracurricular activities on a student's relationship with teachers and their ability to secure strong recommendation letters. The speaker suggests that being involved in activities where a student can demonstrate leadership and personal qualities is crucial. They highlight the importance of being the 'go-to' person in class, volunteering for tasks, and taking on leadership roles in projects or discussions. The speaker also emphasizes the benefits of maintaining relationships with teachers who are also club advisors or have known the student for multiple years.

20:05

🌟 Earning Respect and Recognition Through Gratitude and Achievement

In this paragraph, the speaker talks about the power of earning teachers' respect through genuine gratitude and recognition of their efforts. They advise students to express sincere thanks to their teachers for their support and guidance, especially when the student achieves something noteworthy outside of school. The speaker shares a strategy for using local news recognition to enhance a student's reputation among teachers, which can translate into more impactful recommendation letters. The paragraph concludes with the idea that demonstrating charisma and emotional intelligence can significantly improve a student's relationship with teachers.

Keywords

💡Recommendation Letters

Recommendation letters, often abbreviated as Rec letters, are a crucial part of college applications, providing an external perspective on a student's abilities and character. In the script, the importance of obtaining strong Rec letters from teachers is emphasized, particularly for competitive college admissions. The video discusses strategies for standing out to teachers to secure meaningful and impactful recommendation letters.

💡Academic Performance

Academic performance refers to a student's grades and achievements in their coursework. The script highlights the significance of consistently earning high grades, especially in classes taught by teachers from whom one might seek a recommendation letter. It is used as an indicator of a student's intelligence and work ethic, which are qualities teachers can vouch for in their letters.

💡Social Skills

Social skills encompass a range of abilities that allow individuals to interact effectively with others. The video emphasizes the importance of developing social skills to build positive relationships with teachers, which can translate into better recommendation letters. Examples from the script include asking thoughtful questions, showing genuine interest in class, and being personable.

💡Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities are pursuits outside of a student's academic curriculum that can demonstrate additional skills and interests. The script suggests that excelling in extracurriculars and gaining recognition for them can impress teachers and make a student more memorable, which is beneficial when seeking recommendation letters.

💡Personality

Personality refers to the unique combination of characteristics that define an individual. The video discusses how a likable and engaging personality can make a student stand out in a positive way to teachers. This includes being proactive, showing respect, and demonstrating a genuine curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.

💡Leadership

Leadership is the ability to guide and direct a group towards achieving a common goal. The script mentions leadership as a quality that can be showcased through participation in clubs or sports, which can be noted by teachers in recommendation letters, reflecting a student's ability to take charge and work well with others.

💡Volunteering

Volunteering involves offering one's time and effort for tasks or projects without financial gain. The video encourages students to volunteer in class, such as helping with distribution of materials or leading discussions, to demonstrate dependability and a willingness to contribute, which can be highlighted in recommendation letters.

💡Gratitude

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful and showing appreciation. The script advises students to express genuine gratitude to their teachers for their support and guidance, which can foster a strong teacher-student relationship and lead to more heartfelt recommendation letters.

💡Charisma

Charisma is a personal quality that makes someone attractive, appealing, or inspiring to others. The video describes charisma as the ability to connect with people on a deeper level through genuine emotions and positive interactions. Charismatic students are more likely to leave a lasting impression on teachers, which can result in stronger recommendation letters.

💡Risk-Taking

Risk-taking refers to the willingness to take chances or face uncertainty in pursuit of a goal. In the context of the video, students are encouraged to take risks by going above and beyond in their assignments and class participation, which can lead to recognition from teachers and enhance the quality of their recommendation letters.

💡Feedback Loop

A feedback loop is a process that involves a system's output being used as part of its input to influence the next step in its operation. The script describes a positive feedback loop between a student's performance and a teacher's perception, where good grades lead to teacher appreciation, which in turn can lead to better grades and stronger recommendation letters.

Highlights

The importance of building a relationship with teachers to receive meaningful recommendation letters in high school.

The necessity of having at least three recommendation letters for competitive college applications.

For STEM students, having at least one recommendation from a math or science teacher is almost mandatory.

The significance of having a non-STEM teacher, like an English or history teacher, to speak on a student's other characteristics.

The varying importance of recommendation letters among different colleges, but the universal negative impact of a poor one.

The role of a recommendation letter in providing an additional perspective on a student's classroom environment and potential.

The speaker's personal success in receiving outstanding recommendation letters due to strong teacher relationships.

Understanding teachers as regular people with lives and professions, and the importance of empathy in building a connection.

The validation teachers seek and the impact of a student's performance and behavior on a teacher's perception.

The strategy of consistently getting A's in classes to demonstrate work ethic and determination for recommendation letters.

The advantage of having junior year teachers write recommendation letters due to their recent and strong memory of the student.

The value of respecting teachers and fostering a two-way respect to build a strong student-teacher relationship.

The impact of standing out in class by engaging in ungraded assignments that demonstrate genuine curiosity and effort.

The effectiveness of social skills in the classroom, such as asking clarifying questions and showing attentiveness.

The benefits of being a dependable student who volunteers for class tasks and group activities.

The importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone and taking the initiative in class discussions and presentations.

The unique strategy of gaining recognition outside the classroom through extracurriculars to impress teachers.

The power of expressing genuine gratitude and compliments to teachers, leaving a lasting positive impression.

The speaker's personal motto 'Don't think, just say yes' as a way to seize opportunities and demonstrate leadership.

The conclusion emphasizing the long-term benefits of building charisma and strong relationships throughout high school.

Transcripts

let's paint the picture imagine you're a

junior in high school you show up to

class take some notes turn in your

homework in dip you pretty much do this

every single day and fundamentally

you're just a normal person like me like

the next guy or girl life is good then

Senior Year rolls around and you realize

that you need recommendation letters

letters multiple of them so you go

running back to the same junior year

teachers trying to ask them hey Mrs Mrs

can I get a recommendation letter and

their response to you is

what was your name again now we can pray

to God that doesn't happen and let's be

a little bit realistic here they might

remember who you are but that doesn't

mean that they remember what you did or

that you stood out in their class you

still don't have good Rec letters if

there was literally one non-academic

thing that I was good at in high school

it is this this video exactly I really

try to strike a delicate balance between

giving my inputs and trying not to come

off as some ridiculously arrogant

student but even if some of the things I

say in this video challenge some of your

core beliefs hear me out because I have

perfected this formula for years it has

helped me tremendously in getting some

of the best ref letters that I've seen

students receive period let's start with

the basics of Rec letters the

overwhelming majority of competitive

college applications have at least three

recommendation letters these Rec letters

will come from one your counselor and

then two different teachers now the next

question prithik what teachers do I pick

for my Rec letters for stem students

you're going to want to have at least

one stem teacher this is pretty much

mandatory so either math or science and

then try to have one non-stem teacher an

English teacher is usually great a

history teacher maybe someone you knew

through a club they can speak on some of

your other characteristics for students

interested in other fields use a similar

formula where you take one teacher from

the field that you're interested in

right whether that's art or social

sciences and then one teacher from a

different field another really really

common question that comes up is are Rec

letters actually important for college

admissions the answer to that is yes but

it does slightly vary from school to

school some schools really do prioritize

recliners they want to see strong Rec

letters other schools don't care as much

however what is somewhat Universal among

schools is the fact that a bad Rec

letter does not look good and that's

just a fact if your teacher is not even

willing to take the time to give you

anything more than a default

recommendation Asian letter that could

have also been submitted for a hundred

other students it really goes to show

the fact that they don't really care

about you as a student if you truly had

the kind of meaningful impact that you

want to have had in a class for a

teacher to give you a good reckletter

they would have at least taken the time

to swap out your name rather than just

using a general adjective like oh the

student was smart the student worked

hard in my class fundamentally the point

of a recommendation letter is to give

colleges an additional perspective into

you what are you like in a classroom

environment especially from the

perspective of a teacher who you know

according to this whole process should

actually like you what do they think

about your academic credentials your

ability to be a leader your personality

what is their Insight on this a good

recommendation letter both indicates

your strong personal skills especially

with working with people like a teacher

which could one day translate to working

with a manager for instance the dynamic

is pretty similar and your general

academic potential how well you're able

to flourish in college whether you know

know it or not this next part of the

video is absolutely the part that you're

here from there's not really a modest

way to say this my high school teachers

absolutely love me and it's not because

of some like weird social engineering

tactic where I'm like manipulating them

into like finessing a wreck letter

that's not what this is It's because

they genuinely like and care about me

it's a relationship that I've fostered

over the years and I look at my teachers

like they're my friends or at least as

close as they can be given the dynamic

the first thing you have to understand

about your teachers is that they are

regular people they have lives they went

to college and this is the profession

they ended up choosing if you want

anyone to like you a big part of it

comes down to giving people validation

now it's not some secret that the life

of a high school teacher for instance is

somewhat unfulfilling like it's really

hard it's a lot of work and especially

like let's just think about this for a

second and be empathetic to their

situation you are teaching a classroom

full of adolescent kids who would pretty

much rather do anything than be there in

that moment now there's a huge Spectrum

right we have the low end kids who best

case scenario they pass and they don't

distract anyone else and then you have

the high-end kids who do some homework

some assignment they hardly pay

attention in class turn it in and if

they get anything less than an a then

they create this huge stink and start

sending you emails while this might not

be every single high school kid it is

the majority I want you to look at me I

look at me if you want your teacher to

not just like you but literally remember

you for the rest of their career this is

exactly what you're going to do

absolutely everything starts with your

performance in class if you're not

getting A's in the classes that you want

to be asking your teachers for rec

letters in then they can't even speak on

the easiest quality to talk about which

is your intelligence that rare story

where a student goes from a c to an a by

just grinding it out and that makes for

this beautiful Rec letter that's the

type of stuff that only happens in

movies okay the real way you show your

work ethic and determination is by

getting A's in a class consistently

throughout the semester when it comes to

rec letters you want to have certain

teachers in mind early on in high school

the more teachers you can build

connections with the better but

practically there's only so much you can

do now from a college admissions

perspective the best teachers to be

interacting with for rec letters are

going to be your junior year teachers

you just had them when you're entering

senior year so it's very easy to ask

them for recommendation letters and they

also will probably know you the best

like you're at the peak of your academic

career at this point however throughout

High School there is a very good

likelihood that if you're a competitive

student you're going to need Rec letters

for other things whether it's an

internship whether it's some kind of

competition and because of that you want

to enter each school year with about two

to three teachers in mind that you can

ask for rec letters don't make any

judgments before you enter like the next

year of teaching but what you're going

to do is within the first month of

school try to gauge which teachers you

feel like you have a natural connection

with the teachers that you think it

would be easiest or best to ask them for

a Rec letter in the future and also just

make sure that one of those teachers is

in a field that you're interested in

like science for instance freshman year

doesn't really matter that much but

mainly it's your chance to practice

because once you get to sophomore year

things start to matter a little bit more

now that you're in sophomore year

there's a chance to either one you'll

have the same teacher in junior year

which means if you get too used to work

with your teacher double the time to

prove yourself to build up that

relationship that is a fantastic choice

for a Rec letter or in sophomore year

there might be a chance that you either

have like a club advisor or adult that's

working in a club act as your teacher as

well and so if you have those like

double connections that's fantastic and

you definitely don't want to Fumble the

back the core of building fantastic

relationships with teachers is respect

both ways now if you have even basic

social skills it's should be pretty easy

to interact with the teacher you know

how to respect them but how do you get

them to respect you as a student there

are a couple ways and we're going to

start with easiest with the lowest

rewards and get to the hardest with the

highest rewards we mentioned grades

being important earlier but let's face

it a lot of students get A's so what you

really want to do in a classroom

environment is not just Excel

academically but it's to stand out you

would do this by purposely putting

significantly extra work into certain

assignments that are meant to Garner

attention like for example let's say

your English teacher assigns you a

certain project where you have to write

like a poem and you just put a ton of

time into it and you write like Homer's

next Iliad piece and you turn that in of

course your teacher is going to take a

little bit of an extra look when they

see it another example would be like in

science class where you have a

particular lab report you're working on

and you take a little bit extra time to

dig much deeper into some of the

background information to write a really

really good conclusion and show your

teacher that you want genuinely curious

about the topic and you went that extra

mile if you work on an assignment with

intention like that from my experience

there's about a 70 chance that your

teacher will notice it and then give you

some kind of extra compliment for it

that's like beyond the the regular

compliments they always be handing out

in class now here's my special tip the

assignments that you want to go like

above and beyond are are going to be the

assignments that are actually not graded

the reason for this being the majority

of your classmates as soon as they hear

that an assignment is not graded they're

just gonna tune out like they really

don't care about how well they do it if

they even decide to do it but you on the

other hand you're a responsible young

adult and you're also feening for that

reckletter so you're going to go ahead

and you're gonna grind on these

assignments and hopefully have your

teacher take special notice to it and

you know earn your way through the

rankings other good assignments to try

to stand out on include like big

projects and like presentations that you

have to do especially those that your

teacher really cares about because those

are the ones that are going to gain the

most attention there there have been

instances where I also put in a ton of

work and it just didn't get noticed but

at the end of the day one these are

usually on like the ungraded assignments

so they probably just didn't see it as

opposed to them just seeing it and not

saying anything but mainly the point

here is that you can't get rewards

without ever taking a risk all of this

that you're doing here is some level of

social risk where you're putting in your

time and the goal is that you get the

rewards and statistically speaking like

you will get the rewards if you do the

right amount of effort and you put it in

and you legitimately take the risk

enough times next there's a certain

personality that is just more likable

especially for teachers I know that you

probably see some of the more like

over-the-top Personalities in school and

I'll be honest some of them actually do

work like you know that one student

who's always talking to the teacher and

making corny jokes and like just seeing

them do that just pisses you off I'm

telling you nine times out of ten your

teacher likes that student more than

they like you and the reason that you

hate them so much the reason it pisses

you are is because intrinsically you

know that I used to see people win

socially like this and just get like all

defensive and insecure like oh you know

but I'm I'm cooler the things that I'm

doing are better I'm telling you the day

that I stopped being a loser was the day

that I set aside my Prejudice and I just

watched these students work in action

what were the types of things that they

were saying what worked what didn't work

I started learning from what they did

and that made me more personable but

here's the deal though regardless of how

much you learn from other people and

Implement these social skills not every

teacher is going to like you and on the

flip side of this you don't need the

validation of every teacher this is why

we focus on just two to three teachers a

year because it's sufficient to meet our

needs and it also gives enough

redundancy standing out academically is

the foundation to a great relationship

but your social skills the way that you

respond to praise your ability to just

keep impressing teachers in that

academic classroom environments that's

what's going to translate to a good Rec

letter while you're doing the previous

steps you also want to stand out as a

student during class personality wise

let's be honest here for a second when

you turn in an assignment in school it's

not name blind your teacher literally

knows it's you when they see your test

or your homework because it's right

there unlike some college admissions

officer if they like you you will get

better grades if you get better grades

they will like you more what we're doing

here is creating a positive feedback

loop where the more you feed into it the

better student you appear to be The

Logical question from here is how how do

you stand out in the classroom these are

my immediately applicable techniques the

next time you're in school in the middle

of lecture I want you to just take a

look around look at the other students

half of the class is immediately just

completely zoned out they have no clue

what's going on in the other half

there's like a handful of kids taking

notes another handful doing something on

their laptops and then a few kids who

actually care

it is a rare commodity to be a student

that actually pays attention and cares

whenever your teacher is going over a

key point in class or they're giving

directions nod your head I used to do

this so consistently as a way to show

that I was locked in during school that

my teachers actually knew me for it I

used to do this so consistently that at

the end of my freshman year literally my

English teacher and my physics teacher

both like shouted me out in front of the

class about doing this and like how much

they appreciated it and the fact that

they were gonna kind of miss me as a

student because they wouldn't have

someone like that in the future the best

way to ever learn how to like Implement

social techniques is to see how other

people do it in one environment and then

just use it in your own this is not you

don't have to reinvent the wheel here

just copy exactly what I did in your

classroom setting and you can get the

exact same praise next you're going to

ask questions but never BS questions or

irritating questions okay BS questions

are basically things that are just

unrelated to what you're learning about

if you have some kind of Natural

Curiosity that's fine but always ask

those in a one-on-one environment after

class irritating questions are things

that are somewhat like provocative or

they just annoy the teacher you know the

type of kids that ask questions that are

just kind of meant to disrupt lecture or

kind of accuse the teacher of something

don't be one of those kids the questions

you want to ask are clarifying questions

or things related to like project

details usually these questions are like

an easy alley-oop for the teacher so

it's not like it takes much effort from

them and then they just get to know you

better from it in addition to this about

once every one to two weeks you're going

to ask your teachers some kind of

question in a one-on-one setting I'm

telling you it literally doesn't matter

what you ask or what you even talk about

the idea here is that you say something

that kind of Sparks a little bit of

conversation and then you go on to talk

to your teacher for you know one to two

minutes after that you dip it's kind of

annoying as a student to also take up

too much of their time and that's not

the point here you just want to plant

these seeds that will build a deeper

connection over time doing everything we

are talking about will get you to about

a six to seven out of 10 Rec letter but

there's a couple more things that we can

do to stand out even further and we're

going to talk about them now first if

you're in class with a teacher who is a

club advisor for you or you work with

them in some way outside of school you

have to prioritize these relationships

those out of the classroom experiences

that you share with a teacher are some

of the best ways that you can actually

express your personal qualities there's

only so much like non-academic related

traits that you can actually demonstrate

inside the classroom right things like

leadership become kind of difficult if

there's no opportunities for it like in

a math class for instance however if you

play a sport maybe you do something like

track and field and you're the team

captain or you run a science Bowl club

and you're the president these are much

better opportunities in order to show

those characteristics same goes for

teachers that you have for multiple

years I don't care if it's two years in

a row or you had them freshman year and

you have them again in junior year you

are already in their books as a student

that they know and if you did everything

we talked about they already like you

bro they're just primed for you to go

and raise them up okay just go do it the

third strategy in this Trifecta is one

that everyone can use you want to be the

go-to person that your teacher can count

on in your class when your teacher asks

for someone to pass out papers or to get

them a printout you have to be the first

person that's raising your hand to

volunteer even if it feels corny even if

your friends are making fun of you for

it the reason that it even feels that

way is because those other people are

just projecting their insecurities onto

you because they don't know how to build

relationships with teachers and adults

and none of their teachers care about

them the reason you do all this is to

build

Dependable you for a teacher the more

access to Opportunities they will give

you when it comes to actually showing

yourself as a leader in a classroom

setting or doing things that would be

really really cool for them to include

in a Rec letter A lot of times they'll

ask you to lead a group discussion or be

a leader for some kind of project these

things are the exact details that you

want to go in your Rec letter these are

the details that are missing in the kids

that have the bad Rec letters and that

absolutely shell out like in multiple

different ways for the kids who have the

phenomenal Rec letters on top of that

you're also going to step out of your

comfort zone and volunteer all the time

my personal motto is Don't think just

say yes and then figure it out after you

get called on okay you're gonna raise

your hand to answer questions all the

time if your teacher asks for someone to

share their project as a volunteer for

someone to go first and just present

always be the person to raise your hand

and take that sacrifice for your

classmates because they will view you so

much more positively for it you don't

have to raise your hand every single

time your teacher asks a question

question to the class or someone to come

like solve a problem on the board but be

smart about it if you're one of the

first people to do it at the beginning

of lecture or like like time wise at the

beginning of the school year very

consistently when things are easy you're

getting all of like the the good marks

in their books but then once the class

gets a lot harder and like say there's a

question you actually don't know the

answer to now that you've done it so

often your teacher is not just gonna

like randomly call on you and like

embarrass you in front of the class if

you don't know it because in their eyes

you've already like done your part let

some other students do it when you don't

know it however if no one in the class

is raising their hand then again this is

a great time for you to be that person

that steps up it just comes down to

being Dependable our final strategy in

this video is one that I've tried up

never heard on the internet at the start

of this video we talked about getting

your teacher to respect you having that

two-way respect this is by far the best

way to do that and if you can get to

this level the likelihood that you get

good Rec letters just increases tenfold

a hundredfold the tricky part here is

that it actually has nothing to do with

what you do inside of the classroom when

you're building a fantastic college

application you have to work on

extracurriculars whether that's a

science fair project or a non-profit or

some kind of community service work

you're going to take whatever activity

it is that you're doing and build it to

a really really high level to the point

where you're able to get some kind of

recognition by local news I mentioned

activities like non-profits for instance

because they're just so good at being

able to Garner that kind of attention

especially if you're working on a

project that you're personally invested

in and you have a cool story to go with

it if some kind of local news group sees

the work that you're doing and they

write an article about it chances are

either your school or your school like

District board is going to see that and

then repost it as a way to say look our

students are doing this super cool thing

support them for it from that Chain

Reaction your teachers are going to see

this all over Facebook or the news or

whatever and may be and they're going to

love you for it you are their students

going out there in the real world and

doing some really cool stuff when you

show up to class after doing something

like that chances are they will probably

come up to you and then ask you some

questions and then I have a super

charismatic tip here for you when you're

talking to your teachers about something

like this this is your opportunity to

thank them for everything that they've

done to support you even if it's as

small as just extending some deadlines

or allowing you to miss class or day or

two to accommodate for some of the work

that you were doing or if it's just like

you can't come up with anything just as

simple as them being positive in class

and a motivating force in your life tell

them that tell them how much they mean

to you and be very genuine in the way

that you do it and the examples that you

use they will remember you as a student

for years to come because now in the

eyes of like this adult Mentor in your

life they've helped guide you down a

really really positive path to where

you're actually going out there in the

world doing some super cool work and

you're thankful to them for helping you

get there this is exactly how you

elevate yourself to the next level it's

by learning how to give people like

compliments and thank yous that actually

stick with them let's say you don't do

any of this new stuff at the end of the

school year a lot of people like on

their last day of class they'll just

give a little thank you to their teacher

and then dip and never see them again

don't be that student right take a

couple minutes to stay behind wait till

other people are gone and then go up to

your teacher and just talk to them

one-on-one about this Academic Year tell

them how much maybe their style of

instruction or the way that they

structure their class or how engaging

they were as a lecturer stood out to you

and how you were able to learn better

because of them they will appreciate you

so much more for it real Charisma is not

using deceptive techniques to manipulate

others it's having a strong

understanding of human psychology and

using your genuine emotions about other

people and expressing them in a way that

comes across as very positive and

meaningful this is a skill that takes

time to get better but the good news

here is that you have a handful of years

in high school in order to build on

those skills and perfect them that's it

for this video thank you all so much for

watching peace