For academic teacher- the most common thing is for the LOR to go through the common app. (that sentence amuses me- sorry) Then the common app distributes it to however many schools the student has applied to. It is generally very generic- talking about the student as an overall person rather than their fit for a particular program. There are some schools who only want 1 letter, others specify 1 academic etc - that’s on the student as to whom you list WITHIN the common app as your recommender. Some schools have school specific recs they want - they generally contact the recommenders via email - have you log into their system to fill out forms etc. I have not sent a hard copy of a letter to a school for one of my students in years. (I do still get them sometimes for scholarships)
Since my D went to a PA HS- all her recommenders were teachers - which simplified our process. We had used outside people (voice teacher, community theater director) for the college summer programs she had applied to for summer between junior/senior year, and realized that the outside source (where we had to get separate copies in an envelope signed across the seal etc) made for a bigger hassle.
Getting through the written applications and all the variations of essays was by far the hardest part for us. Having a plan is good, but the schedule can sometimes be hard to stick to because pesky homework, school papers, etc. get in the way. Sheesh didn’t these people understand she had college to apply to? LOL. Fall of senior year applying to a dozen or more colleges is a grind. I had been HERE for over 2 years at that point and was anticipating it. Finally I told her that the applications had to be done before rehearsals began (late October) for a show she was scheduled (and wanted) to be in, or I wouldn’t let her do the show. It was close, but she made it. Auditions seemed like a cakewalk after that.
Yeah - my D had auditions, her high school musical, 2 AP classes all in the late winter. People should really look at their schedule and see how it will play out. Her January and February were hellacious. I think she’d do it again - she certainly wouldn’t have given up the musical - but I think she might have taken one less AP.
My D had 4 AP classes and was in 4 shows between the start of senior year until the time auditions ended (which for her her was early feb) And looking back would call that calm and relaxed compared to the life of a BFA student. A chaotic schedule is part of the life of the gypsy.