<p>We got some good advice to have our son ask this year's teachers for recommendations in the spring, when they're not swamped with urgent requests from seniors, and can work on them over the summer if they choose.</p>
<p>My question relates to the logistics of this -- the student may not at that point know exactly where they are applying, and certainly aren't ready for the letters to be sent in. Do the teachers just hang onto them until they need to be sent, or what? Are the recommendation forms different for each college, or can a teacher write a generic recommendation that can be used multiple times (hopefully!).</p>
<p>How does this part of the process work? Assume that most but not all schools S applies to will use the Common App.</p>
<p>Usually the teacher writes one letter that is sent to all colleges. It will be OK for your son to ask for the letter in the spring of junior year - if the teacher promises him one, s/he will produce one in the fall (I’ve heard that some teachers get so many requests in the fall, that they start asking students to go to someone else…). From our experience, you have to ask at least 2-4 weeks in advance, but the letter usually gets written on the weekend before the deadline ;).
It is always a good idea to remind the teacher about a week before the deadline.</p>
<p>It’s definitely worth asking in the spring as some teachers will set limits. My son found that both the teachers he asked said they would be happy to do it, but to ask them again in the fall. His AP US history teacher in the fall gave him a big list of questions - the ones I remember were: What had he liked best about the course? What was his favorite history book? What score did he end up getting on the AP and in the course? And he also asked for a copy of a research paper. His math teacher OTOH asked for nothing, but he did show my son the letter he wrote which I thought was probably really helpful. He talked about how my son, while not the most brilliant math student (obvious from his grades and SAT scores), was a kid who really understood the material and didn’t just memorize formulas. He obviously didn’t need to many reminders of who my son was to write the letter!</p>
<p>What my daughter did with one junior English teacher is ask him at the end of the year if he would be willing to writer her a letter. When he answered in the affirmative, she asked him when he would like her to give him the materials. He was fine with waiting until the fall, but at least she knew he would be willing when the time came.
As soon as Dd had her activities list completed and she knew which schools she was applying to, she gathered the forms for each school (common and otherwise) with an addressed envelope to each, included a nice “thank you” cover letter with the deadlines for each college outlined, her activities list for teacher reference, and included everything in a manilla folder for each teacher. </p>
<p>The teachers write one letter, and make copies for each college, attach them to the forms and send the letters to the colleges themselves. After the letters were sent, she wrote another thank you note to each with a small gift. I doubt the gift is necessary, but it was common at our particular high school.</p>
<p>D asked her teachers in early April of Junior year, and it was a very good thing. She didn’t know where she was applying, and that didn’t matter at that point. Come fall, she did let the teachers know.</p>
<p>And, not all schools want the Common Ap form, and not all teachers want to simply duplicate one rec, particularly if a student is applying for a scholarship, or is perhaps applying to a college from which the teacher graduated.</p>
<p>It’s a very good idea for any student who’s thinking of making an early application (EA/ED) to get their Guidance Conselor and LOR writers on board in the spring of junior year, say, 2-3 weeks before school has ended for the year. Remember, there are certain teachers (typically, teachers who teach juniors in core subjects) who will be approached to write these letters.</p>
<p>In the summer (so the student can include any special summer activities), the student can put together their activity/interests list. The GC’s provide a form that the teacher’s are familiar with. The student can then present the form, along with the list of colleges and due dates (emphasizing the early ones) to the teachers and the GC, around the third week of school. </p>
<p>If you are fortunate like we were, many or all of the applications will be by the Common Application. At our HS, all the teachers and GCs know how to upload the LORS to each school they are “invited” to write for, which the sudent does on the CA by entering the name, email and title of each teacher. If you are really fortunate, the teacher’s may share the LORs with your student and you can bask in the glow!</p>
<p>I’m so glad someone started this thread…D1 is a Junior and this College journey beginning is a bit overwhelming. Will bring this up with her after March SAT and hopefully a few college visits.</p>