COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THAT REQUIRE TWO
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FROM TEACHERS
The list compiled below is based on personal research utilizing data from The
Common Application; from The College Board publication The College Handbook 2015;
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
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 <smile>
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)
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
Woodbury University (three required, any or all of which may be
from teachers)
COLORADO
Colorado College
United States Air Force Academy (three teacher recs required; one from
math instructor; one from English instructor; one from teacher of choice)
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut College
Trinity College
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 (must be from “professional individuals” such as
administrator, counselor, community leader or employer as well as teacher)
GEORGIA
Emory University
ILLINOIS
University of Chicago
IOWA
Grinnell College
University of Dubuque
KENTUCKY
Berea College (can be from sources other than teacher such as counselor,
administrator or community leader)
MAINE
Bates College
Bowdoin College
Colby College
College of the Atlantic (“at least two teacher rec letters required”)
MARYLAND
Johns Hopkins University
McDaniel College
United States Naval Academy (three teacher recs required)
MASSACHUSETTS
Amherst College
Boston College
Harvard University
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)
Olin College of Engineering (one from math/science instructor, one from
instructor of student’s choice)
Smith College
Wellesley College
Wheaton College
Williams College
MICHIGAN
Hillsdale College
MINNESOTA
Carleton College
Macalester College
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Dartmouth College (peer recommendation “strongly encouraged” in addition
to these two)
NEW JERSEY
Princeton University (“from two different areas of study”)
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
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 “should be from teacher of an academic
subject”)
Jewish Theological Seminary of America, List College
(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 (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
Lycoming 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)
Marlboro College (one required from teacher; second may be from teacher or
“another adult who knows [the student] well”)
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)
Last amended August 10, 2014 at 2:00 PM