Can you give me a sample of a recommendation letter?

Teachers, please give me your opinion on how I should ask my teacher to write me a letter of recommendation?

• I want to ask my favorite teacher to write me a letter of recommendation for college. I was wondering if you teachers have a certain way you would like to be approached to do something like this...should I give my teacher certain information about the colleges I'm applying to, or what should I do? Do I just ask, "Can you please write a letter of recommendation for me?" and that's it??? I want to be as polite about it as possible because I know it is probably really time consuming for teachers to have to write letters of recommendations for their students. Please give me any suggestions for how you would like to be asked? I don't know what to say.

• Answer:

  I just recently had the same experience for graduate school. Teachers consider it a compliment to be asked for a recommendation. Yes, it takes a little time, but it is part of the job, and there is nothing they would rather do than to tell someone what a good job they did on you. One of my professors said, "Never apologize for asking for a letter of recommendation. I'm glad to do it." The only advice I have for you is to give them plenty of time before any deadlines. Nobody appreciates being rushed.