Recommendation Forms or Letters

Credible and Beneficial

For any recommendation request, TPS considers two essential factors in deciding whether we may provide a recommendation:

• Can we provide a credible recommendation from first-hand experience over time?
• Can we provide a beneficial recommendation for favorable comparative or competitive review?

Credible – How well do we know you in areas of the recommendation?

A recommendation — including an academic recommendation — goes beyond a transcript or grade report to provide direct (first-hand) observations and assessments of traits, aptitudes, and accomplishments not covered in the course transcript.

Recommendation criteria often extend beyond strictly academic factors to include observations and evaluations of work ethic, character, reliability, service, leadership and influence, communication skills, or other factors that are beyond the academic transcript.

To ensure we know a student well enough from our online classes to provide a credible recommendation, we need 2-3 sustained years of observation and interaction in at least one core subject area. More information is provided in the Details and Examples at the end of this page.

Beneficial – Are we your best source for a credible beneficial recommendation?

An experienced reviewer can quickly discern whether the recommender has direct knowledge or is speaking from a second-hand list (perhaps provided by the student or parent) and exaggerating how well he knows the student.

An exaggerated or proforma recommendation does not benefit the student. It actually weakens the application because of the missed opportunity to make a favorable individual impression.

To ensure we can provide you a favorable beneficial recommendation for the programs you want, TPS senior staff and teacher(s) collaboratively review and consider each recommendation request individually.

Process – How do you request a recommendation, and how is it decided whether TPS can provide you a credible beneficial recommendation?

1. Your request must be sent to TPS Support (not the teacher) using the Recommendation Request button below.
   • Diploma Partner students should work with their academic adviser to arrange for TPS recommendations.
   • Your request must include:
     • Links or documents to provide the program requirements for each recommendation.
     • List in order of preference the teacher(s) you want to provide your recommendation(s).
     • List of colleges, scholarships, and college special programs (e.g., “Honors Program”) where the recommendations may be used.
2. Using the criteria and considerations explained herein, TPS (staff and teacher(s)) will assess whether we are able to provide a credible beneficial recommendation for the individual student and the specified colleges or programs.
   • TPS will not compel a teacher to provide a recommendation.
   • TPS teachers may not provide a recommendation from TPS courses without TPS concurrence.
3. Once we collaboratively determine that we can provide you a credible beneficial recommendation, TPS will connect you directly with the teacher(s) to continue the individualized process.
4. If we determine that we cannot provide a you a credible beneficial recommendation, TPS will respectfully decline the request in your best interest.
5. Please allow 3-4 weeks from start of request to delivery of the recommendation. We do not support rush requests.

What if we are unable to provide you a credible beneficial recommendation?

If we respectfully decline to provide a recommendation:

• It means that some other school or teachers (or other adult leaders or mentors) know you better and should provide you a credible beneficial recommendation.
• Or it means that you have homeschooled successfully with limited external partnerships, and you are eligible to provide recommendations from external (non-parent) other than school teachers.

Every reputable U.S. secondary school, college and public scholarship has provision for homeschool students to apply without requiring school records or references. If you are applying for a school, college, or public scholarship as a homeschool student, know your rights and understand the process for homeschoolers before you apply.