{"id":"wri-hs-teacher-rec-letter-request","audience":"high-school","category":"writing-emails","technique":"context","title":"Ask a teacher for a recommendation letter the right way","free":false,"task":"You're asking Mr. Abernathy for a college recommendation letter. Write an email under 110 words whose first line is 'Subject: Recommendation request - due Nov 20'. Use your counselor's deadline, mention two specific moments from his class, include your brag sheet link, and skip groveling lines like 'I know you're very busy' or 'sorry to bother you'. Write a prompt that gets that email.","materialLabel":"Your notes and the counselor's email (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"EMAIL from Ms. Grant (school counselor), Oct 30:\nSeniors: Teacher recommendation letters must be submitted to me by Nov 20 so I can send them with your school report. Common App says Dec 1 for most Regular Decision schools, but that is NOT your deadline for teachers. Give teachers at least 3 weeks. Share your brag sheet with them.\n\nMY NOTES (Jordan Pierce)\n- Teacher: Mr. Abernathy, AP US History, junior year. I got an A- second semester.\n- Moments he might remember:\n  - I led our class debate on the New Deal and argued the side nobody wanted (against it). He said it was \"the best rebuttal of the year.\"\n  - I redid my DBQ essay on Reconstruction three times in his office hours and went from a 4 to a 7.\n  - I sat in the front row. (probably not worth saying)\n- Applying to: Lakemont University, Harwell College, state school.\n- Brag sheet: docs.example.com/jpierce-brag\n- I asked Ms. Ruiz (chemistry) too and she said yes.\n- I'm nervous he'll say no because he has 150 students.","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":110}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for \"under 110 words\" and it often lands well over.","fix":"Cap each part: \"5 sentences, each under 18 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Using the wrong deadline","why":"Your counselor mentions Dec 1 too. The AI may pick the Common App date.","fix":"Say it: \"Subject line and deadline: Nov 20, my counselor's date.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"A generic ask","why":"The AI writes \"I really enjoyed your class\", which gives him nothing to write about.","fix":"Add: \"Mention the New Deal debate and my DBQ going from a 4 to a 7.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Over-apologizing","why":"AI requests open with \"I know you're incredibly busy\" and \"I completely understand if you can't\".","fix":"Add: \"No groveling or apologies. Include my brag sheet link.\"","checks":["r2"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Sets a word limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","word (limit|count)"]},{"label":"Gives the subject line","patterns":["subject","recommendation request"]},{"label":"Uses the counselor's deadline","patterns":["nov(ember)?\\s*20"]},{"label":"Names specific moments","patterns":["debate","dbq","new deal","specific"]},{"label":"Bans groveling","patterns":["no (groveling|apolog)","busy","sorry","confident"]}],"hint":"Teachers write better letters when you remind them what you did. Give the AI the deadline, the two moments and the link, and tell it not to grovel.","rubricLabels":["The first line is exactly 'Subject: Recommendation request - due Nov 20' and the email gives Nov 20 as the deadline (not Dec 1)","Mentions both specific moments: leading the New Deal debate (arguing against it) and revising the Reconstruction DBQ in office hours from a 4 to a 7","Includes the brag sheet link docs.example.com/jpierce-brag and contains no groveling lines such as 'I know you're very busy', 'sorry to bother you' or 'I completely understand if you can't'"]}