2013 Colleges and Universities that Require TWO Letters of Recommendation from Teachers

Letters of recommendation can play an important role in the admission decision, particularly at the most selective schools. Letters of recommendation from teachers tell admission officers how students contribute to the academic and intellectual life of their high school. Your teachers' input tells the colleges what their faculty can expect from you. Remember, in the college admission process, you are being evaluated to enter a learning community! High school counselor Cigus Vanni joins us again today with another excellent list -- this time of the colleges and universities that require TWO letters of recommendation from teachers.

 

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THAT REQUIRE TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FROM TEACHERS      

 

            While there are myriad schools that will accept and review more than one teacher recommendation, the entries listed below are those that require two letters of recommendation from instructors.  Colleges and universities with special circumstances are in bold italics with those unusual considerations listed.  Please note also that there may be colleges not listed below that admit students to special programs which may require two or more teacher recommendations—always check with the school to which the student is applying.

 

ALASKA

 

Alaska Pacific University (may be from personal references instead of teachers)

 

CALIFORNIA

 

California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) (one from math/science instructor, one from social studies/humanities instructor)

Claremont McKenna College

Harvey Mudd College (one from math/science instructor, one from social studies/humanities instructor)

Mills College

Occidental College

Pepperdine University (one teacher rec required, second rec may be from teacher or from personal reference)

Pitzer College

Pomona College

Scripps College

Soka University of America (two teacher recs or one teacher and one administrator/counselor required))

Stanford University

 

COLORADO

 

Colorado College

United States Air Force Academy (three teacher recs required)

 

 

CONNECTICUT

 

Connecticut College

Trinity College (“prefer that an English or History teacher complete one of the two recommendations”)

United State Coast Guard Academy (one from math instructor, one from English instructor)

Wesleyan University (“prefer one from math/science instructor and one from social studies/humanities instructor” but not required)

Yale University

 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

            Gallaudet University

 

GEORGIA

 

Emory University

 

ILLINOIS

 

University of Chicago

 

IOWA

 

Grinnell College

 

KENTUCKY

 

Berea College (two recs may also come from administrators or counselors)

 

MAINE

 

Bates College

Bowdoin College

Colby College

College of the Atlantic (“at least two teacher rec letters required”)

 

MARYLAND

 

Johns Hopkins University

United States Naval Academy (three teacher recs required)

 

MASSACHUSETTS

 

Amherst College

Boston College

Franklin Olin College of Engineering (one from math/science instructor, one from instructor of student’s choice)

Harvard University

Lesley University (two teacher letters or one from teacher, one from personal reference required)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (one from math/science instructor, one from social studies/humanities instructor)

Mount Holyoke College

New England Conservatory of Music (two teacher recs required—one from music instructor, one from academic instructor)

Smith College

Wellesley College

Wheaton College

Williams College

 

MICHIGAN

 

Hillsdale College

 

MINNESOTA

 

Carleton College

Macalester College

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

Dartmouth College (requires a peer rec in addition to these two)

 

NEW JERSEY

 

Princeton University (“from two different areas of study”)

 

NEW YORK

 

Bard College (“prefer one from math/science instructor and one from social studies/humanities instructor” but not required)

Barnard College

Colgate University

Columbia University (“for engineering applicants, one must come from math/science instructor”)

Cornell University

Eastman School of Music (three teacher recs required; two must be from music teachers or professional musicians, third can be music or academic)

(The) Juilliard School (two teachers recs required for dance and music composition majors—one academic, one arts based)

Mannes College The New School of Music (one from music instructor, one from academic instructor, music instructor or counselor)

Saint Lawrence University (“at least two recommendations requested)

Sarah Lawrence College

Skidmore College

Syracuse University

United States Merchant Marine Academy (three teacher recs required)

United States Military Academy (three teacher recs required)

Webb Institute of Naval Architecture (one must come from instructor, second may come from instructor or counselor)

 

 

NORTH CAROLINA

 

Davidson College (requires a peer rec in addition to these two)

Duke University

 

OHIO

 

Case Western Reserve University

Oberlin College

 

OREGON

 

Concordia University (may be from sources other than teachers)

Reed College

 

PENNSYLVANIA

 

Bryn Mawr College

Curtis Institute of Music (must be from professional musicians or music instructors)

Franklin and Marshall College

Haverford College

Muhlenberg College

Swarthmore College

University of Pennsylvania

 

RHODE ISLAND

 

Brown University

 

TENNESSEE

 

Vanderbilt University

 

 

VERMONT

 

Bennington College (from “at least two different subject areas”)

Burlington College (one must come from instructor, second may come from instructor or counselor)

Middlebury College

 

VIRGINIA

 

Washington and Lee University

 

This list was compiled by Cigus Vanni, a member of the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling Executive Board and former member of the NACAC Professional Development Committee (2007-2010).  The list is based on personal research utilizing data from The Common Application; from The College Board publication The College Handbook 2014; and from direct examination of individual college and university websites.  As in all cases with college admission requests and requirements, please consult individual schools for the most current and accurate information