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Common Data Set · Section C7

Which colleges consider recommendation letters in admissions?

Of the 143 colleges with Common Data Set filings in Trajecta's dataset, 48 rate recommendation letters very important in their admissions decisions, 43 rate it important, 29 considered, and 22 say it is not considered — as self-reported in each school's CDS section C7 ("Recommendation(s)").

What "Recommendation(s)" means

Recommendations are the letters your school counselor and teachers write about you — usually one counselor letter and one or two from teachers in core academic subjects. They give admissions readers a third-party view of your classroom presence, character, and growth that grades cannot show. Weight varies widely: intensive holistic-review colleges read them closely, while many large public universities do not accept them at all.

Very Important48 colleges, sorted by Trajecta rank

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Important43 colleges, sorted by Trajecta rank

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Considered29 colleges, sorted by Trajecta rank

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Not Considered22 colleges, sorted by Trajecta rank

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1 college in the dataset did not report this factor in their CDS filing.

Recommendation letters: frequently asked questions

How many recommendation letters do colleges want?

Typically one counselor letter plus one or two teacher letters from junior-year core academic subjects — each college states its exact requirement. Extra letters rarely help unless they add genuinely new information.

Do recommendation letters really matter?

At holistic-review colleges, yes — a specific, story-rich letter can corroborate everything else in your application. At many large public universities they are not read at all, which shows up as "not considered" on the Common Data Set filings listed here.

Which colleges consider recommendation letters in admissions?

Of the 143 colleges with Common Data Set filings in Trajecta's dataset, 48 rate recommendation letters very important in admissions, 43 rate it important, 29 considered, and 22 say it is not considered. Colleges rating it very important include Princeton University, Stanford University, California Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, Rice University.

Other admission factors

Rigor of secondary school recordClass rankAcademic GPAStandardized test scoresApplication essayInterviewExtracurricular activitiesTalent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceState residencyReligious affiliation/commitmentVolunteer workWork experienceLevel of applicant's interest
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Ratings are self-reported by each college in its Common Data Set, section C7. Every school links to its full data page. Explore the college rankings →