How many letters each college asks for
For the 2026-27 cycle, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford and Yale each ask for two teacher letters. Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Yale also require the counselor report and the mid-year report.
| College | Teacher letters | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard | 2, from different subjects | Also the counselor report and the mid-year report. Optional extra letters go through a link in your application confirmation email |
| MIT | 2: MIT recommends one from math or science and one from humanities, social science or language, but does not require that mix | Accepts one optional extra letter, which most applicants do not send |
| Princeton, Stanford and Yale | 2 | From the 2026-27 Common App grid, which also requires the counselor report and the mid-year report |
Who can recommend you
At most selective colleges in 2026-27, your school counselor and two teachers write for you. Other recommenders, such as a coach or employer, count only where the college accepts them, and parents or guardians sign the Early Decision agreement if you apply ED.
| Who | What they do |
|---|---|
| School counselor | Places you in the context of your class and sends the School Report and your transcript |
| Teacher | Describes you as a student in the classroom |
| Other recommender | Someone outside the classroom, such as a coach or employer. Only if the college accepts that type of recommender, which its Recommenders and FERPA section shows |
| Parents or guardians | Sign the Early Decision agreement if you apply ED |
If your school has no college counselor
Many schools outside the US have no college counselor. That is not a problem: another school official, such as a principal, deputy head or a teacher who knows you well, can complete the counselor part. MIT and Stanford say so explicitly, and Harvard accepts an extra letter in this case. On the Common App, invite the person responsible for your transcript as your counselor (Common App).
The counselor report asks the recommender to compare you with your classmates, from below average to one of the top few they have encountered. Choose someone who can speak to that honestly.
How to invite recommenders on the Common App
You invite recommenders from My Colleges in the Common App, in four steps. For the 2026-27 cycle, teachers only get the email once you assign them to a college.
- In My Colleges, open Recommenders and FERPA.
- Sign the FERPA release.
- Invite your counselor and teachers. If your school uses Naviance, Scoir or another Common App partner platform, counselor and teacher invitations go through it.
- Assign each recommender to your colleges. Teachers only get the email after you do.
On the Common App, a college only receives your letters after you submit your application, as Harvard explains. At MIT, letters go through MIT's own portal: each recommender gets the link as soon as you add them, and you do not have to wait for the letters before you submit.
FERPA: waive your right to read the letters
FERPA is the federal student privacy law. It gives you the right to read your recommendation letters after you enroll at a college. Waiving that right tells colleges the letters are candid. Some teachers will only write if you waive it.
Letters in another language
A letter in another language needs a translation by someone other than you and a copy of the original. For 2026-27, Harvard and Stanford accept a translation by an English teacher, while Yale requires a certified translation.
- Who translates: someone else, never you. At Harvard and Stanford an English teacher can do it, and Harvard says you do not need a professional translator. Yale requires a certified translation.
- What goes with it: a copy of the original letter. Harvard also asks for the translator's name and their relationship to you.
- Check each college: these rules come from Harvard, Stanford and Yale. Read the international page of every college on your list.
Do not write your own letter
In some schools, teachers ask students to draft the letter for them to sign. For college applications, that does not work: the letter is confidential and comes from the teacher. Give your teacher a short summary of your activities, grades and what you would like them to remember instead. The letter stays theirs.
When to ask
Ask at least a month before your first deadline. For 1 November early deadlines, that means by the end of September. Choose teachers of academic subjects who know you well as a student and as a person, not just by your grades: that is what MIT recommends.