One of the requirements for getting into the Naval Academy is for an English teacher, Math teacher, and a coach to rate you and write a letter of recommendation via the online portal.  For a complete guide to all the Naval Academy admission requirements, read our Ultimate Guide on How to Get Into The Naval Academy.

Naval Academy Admissions Letters of Recommendation can be overwhelming for prospective candidates. Below we provide samples for each teacher as well as what makes the sample a quality submission. Let them know in advance you’ve chosen them to write your letter of recommendation!

Math Teacher Sample Letter of Recommendation
English Teacher Sample Letter of Recommendation
Coach Sample Letter of Recommendation

You can download PDF versions of each letter to print and give to your teachers at the bottom of this article.

Math Teacher Sample Letter of Recommendation – Naval Academy

The following is an example of a well written Math Teacher narrative for a Naval Academy application. This narrative would be done after the teacher completes the numerical rating of the candidate. We recommend that candidates give a sample recommendation narrative to their Math Teacher in order to maximize their impact. We provide commentary at the end telling you why this sample letter is effective.

Narrative Prompt for Your Math Teacher:

Please tell us how you feel this candidate would perform at the college level in your area. Thank you for your time, concern and Cooperation

Narrative Response:

I taught Jeff while he was a student in my pre-calculus class at Ridgemont High School. This is one of the most difficult classes taught at our high school and only the top 5% of students at our high school take this class. This is out of a total class of 250.

Of these elite students, Jeff received an A which only 20% of the students in the class received. This equates to Jeff being in the top 1% of all students who take this course yearly. I have taught at our high school for five years and out of the 400 students I have taught in the course over that time, Jeff ranks within the top 20 students out of that group.

What separates him from the other students I have taught is his attention to detail and diligence. He takes his studies very seriously and puts out the maximum effort. Frankly, only the best students score as high as Jeff.

What you will get with Jeff is a student who will no doubt have the grit and resiliency to complete the rigorous math curriculum at the Naval Academy which includes both single and multivariable calculus and advanced probability and statistics. We also do a number of application topics in our pre-calculus class which apply to engineering problems. Since I am aware that the Naval Academy also requires several semesters of engineering, Jeff will certainly excel in those courses which require the application of the calculus.

Commentary

What you will notice in the narrative are several things. One, the Math instructor is aware of the math curriculum at USNA which will include advanced math. The instructor also understands the application of the math to engineering classes which are a key part of the education in the last two years of a cadet’s academic course of study.

Additionally, the Math instructor quantifies how the candidate ranks by comparing him to others he has taught over several years. This reinforces the ratings that the instructor gave the student and makes a greater impact than generic statements.

English Teacher Sample Letter of Recommendation – Naval Academy

The following is an example of a well written English Instructor narrative. This narrative would be done after the teacher completes the numerical rating of the candidate. We recommend that candidates give a sample recommendation narrative to their English Teacher in order to maximize its impact. We provide commentary at the end telling you why this sample letter is effective.

Narrative Prompt for Your English Teacher:

Please tell us how you feel this candidate would perform at the college level in your area. Thank you for your time, concern and Cooperation.

Narrative Response:

I taught Jeff while he was a student in my Honors Junior English class at Colonie High School. In order to be a student in this class, one must get an A in sophomore English and be recommended by their instructor to be in the honor course. Generally, only 5% of the students are in Honors English.

Of these excellent students, Jeff received an A which only 30% of the students in the class received. This equates to Jeff being in the top 5% of all students who take this course yearly. I have taught in our English program over the past 20 years and have taught well over a thousand students, many of whom have gone on to college and done well. I would rank Jeff in the top 100 of all students I have taught over the last 20 years. This equates to being in the top 1% of all students I have taught during my time at Colonie High School.

What separates him from the other students I have taught is his ability to write as well as avoid the common grammar pitfalls I see. What is notable is that when I make a correction to Jeff’s work, he understands the correction and works not to repeat the same mistake again. This, I believe, is the key to success in any academic environment.

I understand that at the Naval Academy Jeff will take HE111 and HE112 which concentrate on writing skills as well as literature. These reinforce your outcomes in critical thinking and clear communication. I am aware also of the importance of writing in other courses at Annapolis such as history, political science, philosophy, and social sciences. Jeff is well prepared for these courses and will excel in the challenging curriculum.

Commentary

Notice several things: One, the English instructor is aware of the English and humanities curriculum at the Naval Academy which will include not just English but history, philosophy, and other subjects. The instructor also understands the application of critical thinking and writing to the overall success of the cadet and reinforces this in the narrative.

Additionally, the English instructor quantifies how the candidate ranks by comparing him to others he has taught over several years. This reinforces the ratings that the instructor gave the student and makes a greater impact than generic statements.

Coach Sample Letter of Recommendation – Naval Academy

The following is an example of a well written Coach narrative. This narrative would be done after your coach completes the numerical rating portion of the evaluation. We recommend that candidates give a sample recommendation narrative to their Math Teacher in order to maximize their impact. We provide commentary at the end telling you why this sample letter is effective.

Narrative Prompt for Your Coach:

Please tell us how you feel this candidate would perform at the college level in your area. Thank you for your time, concern and Cooperation.

Narrative Response:

I was Jeff’s football coach and track and field coach over the last four years. I observed him not just as a stellar athlete but also as a leader for the sports teams that I coach.

As a veteran myself, I understand that officers must lead by example and be physically fit. I know I admired officers that I served under who excelled at fitness and led from the front. Also, I know that the physical education program at the Naval Academy is rigorous, with requirements of such diverse regimens as boxing, wrestling, combatives, swimming, and gymnastics. I have no doubt in observing Jeff over the past four years that he will excel in this diverse program. In his position of linebacker on the football team, it requires significant lateral movement and speed as well as upper body strength. Jeff clearly demonstrates these characteristics and is my best linebacker going into senior year. In track and field, he is a pole vaulter which has similar demands for both speed, agility, and strength.

Having said this, Jeff is an even better leader. He was chosen this year as captain of the football team not just by our coaches but the players. Jeff is clearly a leader who is respected by his coaches and teammates. Jeff is able to motivate his teammates, not in a demeaning or intimidating way, but one that respects each person as an individual. Jeff lives daily the Navy Core Values Charter. Additionally, we have a very ethnically diverse high school. Jeff is respected by all the players of our team, whether they are African-American, Hispanic, Asian, or White. I believe these leader traits will suit him well in a military that is both culturally and ethnically diverse.

I cannot recommend Jeff enough for the Naval Academy. What you will get with Jeff is a stellar athlete but also a leader of character and integrity. He comes with my highest recommendation.

Commentary

What you will notice in the narrative are several things. One, the coach is aware of the athletic requirements at Annapolis. He understands that USNA requires midshipmen to do many different athletic activities and he lists them and why the candidate would be successful.

Additionally, the Coach quantifies how the candidate ranks by comparing him to others he has coached over several years. This reinforces the ratings that the coach gave the student and makes a greater impact than generic statements.

Finally, he speaks to the candidate’s leadership which is important because the other letters from the high school math, English, or science teacher will concentrate almost exclusively on academics. The coach needs to bring out the athlete and leader profile as much as possible.

Final Thoughts

Most recommenders will appreciate it if you give an example recommendation letter to them. It saves them time and effort, especially if they have to do multiple letters for you. Additionally, you help the recommender understand the course of instruction of the Naval Academy, so they appear more knowledgeable. This greatly increases the impact of your teachers’ and coaches’ narratives.

Take the time to give your Math teacher, English teacher, and Coach sample recommendation letters and you are that much closer to winning admission to the Naval Academy! Make sure to get the correct contact information for your chosen teachers. Ready to apply now? 

You can download all 3 sample letters of recommendation here in PDF format to print and hand out.