• Application Review Process
• Academic Preparation
• Standardized Tests
• Contribution to Community
• Personal Essays
• Recommendations
• Interview for International Applicants
• Major Selection
• Institutional Fit & Residency

Recommendations

You may submit up to three recommendations – all of which are optional and not required for admission consideration. We do not expect, nor should you feel that you must submit, all three. We understand that some students attend high schools where the demands of their counselor's and teacher’s caseloads do not afford them the opportunity to provide a letter for each applicant. Recommenders provide helpful context to us, but, ultimately, your admission decision will be based on the other factors we consider in our review.

Secondary School Report
Most counselors will submit a secondary school report form through the Common Application or via your school’s chosen platform. This report provides our reviewers with information that is critical to put your application in context, including facts and figures about your school population, curriculum options and limitations, etc.

Counselor Recommendation (1 optional)
While the most important information your counselor provides will be in the form of the contextual Secondary School Report, the Counselor Recommendation provides us with information about you as a student both in and out of the classroom. If your counselor is unable to provide a formal recommendation, please be assured that it will not negatively impact your application review.

Teacher Recommendation (up to 2 optional)
A teacher of a core academic subject (English, math, science, social science, or foreign language) is likely the best option to provide insight into your experience in the classroom.

Other Recommender
Beginning with applicants for 2026, we will no longer accept recommendations from anyone other than a teacher/counselor. After allowing additional recommendations for one year, we found they did not provide additional information or insight.

Please note:

• All recommendations should be submitted no later than the document deadline for each round, which will be approximately two weeks after your application submission deadline.

• We are unable to accommodate changes or substitutions once recommendations have been received in our office.