According to counselor Bettina Cool, all counselors are busy trying to finish recommendation letters for seniors by Nov. 1. Meeting this deadline ensures students maximum opportunity to receive scholarships and first choice in campus.

Cool said it’s a lot of stress on a counselor to write these letters.

“It’s just really hard to make a decision about a student because you don’t want to put them at a disadvantage but you don’t want to not be truthful and it’s not easy to write letters for every student because you don’t know all of them as well as you know others,” Cool said. “So it’s not hard, its just important and it takes time.”

Senior Jane Ha said she agrees with Cool that it’s hard for counselors to write the recommendations, but she also thinks it necessary.

“They are the only ones who can access my grades and activities, even if it’s just on paper,” Ha said.

However, Cool said the current senior brag sheets aren’t very helpful for writing letters of recommendation. The counselors are working on a new one for next year’s seniors that lend to more anecdotal answers.

“For example, adjectives that describes you. Hardworking, you know everybody can say that. Why? Tell me a story about why you say you’re hard working,” Cool said.

The counselors also plan to send the brag sheet home with the current juniors over the summer and make it due at the beginning of school. Ha said she thinks this is a smart idea because it would be a lot less stressful than having to get it done during the school year. As for Cool, she said she can’t wait to use the new sheet.

“I’m excited about it,” Cool said.