Quick Answer for Busy Parents
Archbishop Mitty requires one Confidential Recommendation Request Form, completed by the principal, an 8th-grade academic teacher (preferred), or a counselor and submitted through Ravenna by February 1, 2027. An optional Teacher Evaluation can come from a current English, math, science, or social studies teacher. Non-academic recommendations aren’t required. The best recommender is a recent teacher who knows your child well and writes clearly.
What Mitty Requires (and What It Doesn’t)
| Confidential Recommendation | Optional Teacher Evaluation | |
| Required? | Yes | No |
| Who completes it | Principal, 8th grade academic teacher (preferred), or counselor | A current English, math, science, or social studies teacher |
| Restriction | Requested and submitted through Ravenna | Only a teacher who didn’t complete the required form |
| Due | February 1, 2027 | February 1, 2027 |
Mitty doesn’t require non-academic recommendations from coaches or family friends. If your child has significant extracurricular involvement, you can upload a letter about it through Ravenna, but the academic recommendation is what the committee relies on.
Choose a Recommender Who Knows Your Child’s Strengths
Students often pick a favorite teacher, but the strongest letters come from someone who has seen your child do their best work. An 8th grade academic teacher in a subject where your child shines can describe real moments: the project they pushed further than required, the question that changed a class discussion, the effort they showed when something was hard. Those specifics are far more persuasive than general praise.
Not Sure Who to Ask?
We help families choose recommenders and give them the context they need to write well.
Prioritize Recent Teachers
Mitty prefers an 8th grade academic teacher for a reason: they know your child’s current skills and maturity. A teacher who has taught your child across multiple years is even better, since they can describe growth. If the optional evaluation is used, it should come from a different current core-subject teacher.
Choose Someone Who Communicates Well
Even a teacher who knows your child well needs to put it into words. Teachers who explain ideas clearly in class usually write clearly too, painting a fuller picture of a student’s character and potential.
Making the Most of an Imperfect Choice
The perfect recommender, one who knows your child deeply, teaches a relevant subject, and writes beautifully, is rare. If you have someone who checks two of those boxes, you’re in good shape. Make the request early, well before February 1, and share a short note about what your child is proud of this year. When asking for a recommendation, a little context goes a long way.
- Ask at least a month before the February 1 deadline.
- Send the request through Ravenna so it reaches the right person.
- Thank the teacher, whether or not they say yes.
Building a Stronger File Beyond the Letter
A recommendation reflects what a teacher has seen all year. Strong grades, steady effort, and good habits make that letter easier to write. We help families plan the year, with academic coaching when it helps.
Let’s Strengthen Your Child’s Mitty Application
Talk with an advisor about recommendations, the HSPT, and the essay and video.