When a camper arrives at Camp Jupiter, after their meetings with the praetors and the augur, they are expected to give a letter of recommendation from a former member of the legion. A letter can determine a camper's entire life in the legion. Those with the best letters are put in the better cohorts and given jobs, such as messenger. Those with the worst or no letters are put in the lower cohorts and are given jobs such as digging trenches in the Field of Mars or looking after Hannibal.
Because Percy Jackson was not supposed to exist, Zeus required him to get three godly letters of recommendation by completing three new quests in order for him to attend New Rome University.
Placement based on Letters[]
A letter of recommendation can be given by a family member. It often comes from a family member who held a higher rank in the legion, such as a Centurion, Messenger, Augur, or Praetor. Depending on the ranking of the person who it is written by depends on how important it may be.
Gods[]
A letter of recommendation from that of a god or goddess themself. It is treated above the respect of even that of a Praetor's recommendation and depending on the status of the immortal in the legion depends on how much it counts. It will most likely guarantee you a spot in the First or Second Cohort and you are automatically excused from any sort of work, no matter what their status in the legion is.
Percy Jackson was required to get three letters of recommendation from three gods for his admittance into New Rome University with Percy being given them in exchange for the demigod completing a new quest for each god.
Praetor[]
A Praetor's writing is undisputed, no matter what. Unless the Praetor was banished from camp or dishonorably discharged, their recommendation is law. It is guaranteed to get you a spot in the first Cohort and a job as either a medic or messengers and will exclude you from any and all work, such as digging trenches in the Field of Mars or looking after Hannibal.
Centurion[]
A Centurion writing it is to be taken serious and most likely gets the person put into either the First, Second or Third Cohorts.
Augur[]
An Augur's writing is treated with some of the utmost respect and seriousness. No matter how good the Augur themselves was, being an Augur is an honor and is one of the highest ranking in the legion. A letter of recommendation from any Augur is guaranteed to earn you a place in the first or second Cohorts.
Messenger[]
A Messenger's writing is considered to be serious, but it depends on that Messenger's former ranking in the legion, so they could give you any Cohort depending on the Messenger themselves.
Active Legionaries[]
It is more often treated higher in respect that a former legionnaire's. Active members of the legion most often don't use letters and will just give their suggestions, opinions and recommendation upfront and in person. And it will be a huge deciding factor of your status in the legion. And letters of recommendation are often taken more seriously when given either in person by whoever wrote it because it shows the legionnaire's potential importance.
The Heroes of Olympus[]
The Son of Neptune[]
Percy Jackson is asked by Octavian if he has any letters. Percy does not know what he means and answers no.
The Senior Year Adventures[]
The Chalice of the Gods[]
Due to Percy not being meant to exist due to the Pact of the Big Three, he is inadmissible for New Rome University. However, Zeus agrees to let him in if Percy can get three letters of recommendation from three gods for doing quests for them. During the Quest for Ganymede's Chalice, Eudora reveals that Percy could've gotten letters from Hebe and Iris during the quest which would've fulfilled the requirement, but it's too late for Percy to go back and request them.
After Percy returns Ganymede's Chalice to him, Ganymede gives Percy a magical piece of paper on which Percy can dictate his own recommendation letter. After seeing the paper, Eudora states that composition of the paper itself will impress the admissions committee. With the help of Annabeth Chase, Sally Jackson and Paul Blofis, Percy creates his first letter of recommendation and makes plans with Annabeth to get the other two.
Wrath of the Triple Goddess[]
Percy discovers that Hecate has been keeping several gods, including Aphrodite and Hermes, from giving him easy quests as she believes that they are unworthy of his time and the goddess of magic needs him for her own quest: house and pet-sitting for her in the week leading up to Halloween. In return, Hecate promises Percy his second recommendation letter. Percy remembers to ask for dual credit this time, but it isn't applicable as no other gods are involved in the quest.
At the end of the week, Hecate gives Percy his second letter, satisfied with his work, although it's simply Hecate recommending Percy "for things" with her name and many titles attached. Eudora tells Percy that it will look wonderful with his college application and, if New Rome University doesn't work out, get the demigod into any number of excellent technical schools, although Percy is only interested in NRU. Percy reveals to Eudora that he has convinced Hecate to reopen her magic school and, once the Nereid is finished helping Percy get into college, rehire her as the admissions director.
Trivia[]
- In the Barnes and Noble Exclusive Edition of The Chalice of the Gods, letters of recommendation for Percy from Apollo, Delphin and Aristaeus are displayed.
- The plot of The Senior Year Adventures series revolves around Percy Jackson's quests to get three godly letters of recommendation in order to get into New Rome University.
- Percy presumably succeeds as he is later seen attending the school in The Tower of Nero and The Sun and the Star: A Nico di Angelo Adventure.