Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation give us a more personal view of you as a student and offer insight that can’t be gleaned through grades and scores. Hearing about you from someone who knows you well helps us gain additional perspective on how you might handle Penn's academic environment, and what you could contribute to our community!
If you apply to Penn as a first-year or transfer student, you will need to request recommendation letters from two people:
- your school counselor or other school administrator
- a teacher in a core subject area
Optional: another teacher OR supporter in your community who you believe could add a perspective otherwise missing from your application can be submitted as an optional recommendation. Your application will not be negatively impacted should you choose not to submit an additional letter of recommendation.
You Know Who Knows You Best
We rely on recommendations to understand who you are as a learner as well as how you interact with those around you. This is why we require your counselor or school official as well as a teacher in a core subject area to write on your behalf. We also know that there are many reasons that other people in your life may know you even better, and allow for one additional supplemental recommendation letter beyond the two required. Please be selective when deciding whether you need to request this supplemental recommendation letter, as an additional letter is meant as an opportunity to ensure equity in our process for students who may have unique circumstances that require more context.
If you decide to submit this letter, please be sure to choose someone who knows you personally and whose perspective would add information not captured elsewhere in your application. This person may be a supervisor at work, mentor, coach, arts or music instructor, spiritual leader, or cultural leader. Letters from family members and close family friends typically do not provide information that is helpful for our evaluation process.
If you choose to submit an optional additional letter of recommendation, please submit it directly through the Coalition or Common App.
We require two letters of recommendation for first-year applicants.
Counselor Recommendation
This is your high school counselor’s evaluation of your attributes and accomplishments. Typically, your counselor will send this recommendation along with your official transcript.
Teacher Recommendation
If possible, choose teachers who you had most recently during your junior or senior year in major academic subjects like math, science, history, English, or foreign language. The best academic recommendations come from teachers who know you well and can speak to your engagement in the classroom—not necessarily the ones who gave you the best grade.
Other Recommendation (Optional)
This may be a second teacher or a non-academic recommendation. For non-academic recommendations, choose someone who knows you personally and whose perspective would add information not captured elsewhere in your application. This person may be a supervisor at work, mentor, coach, arts or music instructor, spiritual leader, or cultural leader. Letters from family members and close family friends typically do not provide information that is helpful to the evaluation process.
If you decide to request a second teacher recommendation letter, try to avoid submitting letters from two teachers in the same subject area.
We don’t prefer one type of letter of recommendation option over the other (academic vs. non-academic) and encourage you to choose the people you believe will best represent you.
We require two letters of recommendation for transfer applicants.
College Report
Your advisor or another school official will need to submit a College Report form. Instructions on how to invite officials to complete this form will be provided on your Penn Applicant Portal.
College Instructor Recommendation
When asking an instructor for a recommendation, choose instructors that you had most recently while in college. If possible, consider obtaining a recommendation from an instructor in your area of academic interest.
We require two letters of recommendation for transfer applicants.
College Report
Your advisor or another school official will need to submit a College Report form. Instructions on how to invite officials to complete this form will be provided on your Penn Applicant Portal.
College Instructor Recommendation
When asking an instructor for a recommendation, choose instructors that you had most recently while in college. If possible, consider obtaining a recommendation from an instructor in your area of academic interest.
Other Recommendation (Optional)
This may be a second instructor or a non-academic recommendation. For non-academic recommendations, choose someone who knows you personally and whose perspective would add information not captured elsewhere in your application. This person may be a supervisor at work, mentor, coach, arts or music instructor, spiritual leader, or cultural leader. Letters from family members and close family friends typically do not provide information that is helpful to the evaluation process.
If you decide to request a second instructor recommendation letter, try to avoid submitting letters from two instructors in the same subject area or department.
We don’t prefer one type of letter of recommendation option over the other (academic vs. non-academic) and encourage you to choose the people you believe will best represent you.
This may be a second instructor or a non-academic recommendation. For non-academic recommendations, choose someone who knows you personally and whose perspective would add information not captured elsewhere in your application. This person may be a supervisor at work, mentor, coach, arts or music instructor, spiritual leader, or cultural leader. Letters from family members and close family friends typically do not provide information that is helpful to the evaluation process.
If you decide to request a second instructor recommendation letter, try to avoid submitting letters from two instructors in the same subject area or department.
We don’t prefer one type of letter of recommendation option over the other (academic vs. non-academic) and encourage you to choose the people you believe will best represent you.
Tips for Requesting Recommendation Letters
- Start this process early and ask for recommendations well in advance of your application deadline to allow your recommenders time to reflect on their experiences with you.
- Prepare your recommenders to be your best advocates by sharing helpful documents like your resume, or lists of past projects and assignments you completed, favorite topics, or your aspirations for college.