<p>One of my teachers tried to screw me over big time. He gave me a copy of his letter, and it was one of the best I have ever read in my whole entire life. I was so amazed, but I expected it since I was his top student, and in his letter he includes that I had the highest grade in his class both semesters, and that I was ranked 1 in his class out of 75 of his AP students. I had so much confidence with him and this letter, that I waived my right to see his evaluation on the form (Point scale) Instead of saying I was top 1 percent (which was expected for most or half of all categories), he ranked me as "above average" for most of the boxes, and a couple "top 10 percent" I had all my eggs in that basket, and he deceived me. These letters were to be sent to fairly selective schools, and with that crap, I would've been in serious trouble. Has this happened to anyone before? Is this a teacher that might have some hidden grudge against me...? Is the common app evaluation meant to be that difficult to get the top marks?</p>
<p>I was overly disappointed, and all I can say is, I hate that jerk, and he tried to ruin me completely. All that work, and all that respect, and integrity I put into there. Amazing. I'm of course throwing it out, and im getting a different teacher. Amazing.. clearly.. amazing.</p>
<p>Maybe he was being more honest that you realized. It could be worse--an admission committee could be reading your post in this thread right now. </p>
<p>Maybe he didn't really see you as high as you expected. I'm sure it's happened to many people and they're still going to college. Good thing most colleges have "2" recs written.</p>
<p>your teacher never lied my friend. its your screwy expectations. you don't "expect" to be top 1 percent for each category just by topping his class. those checkboxes are asking for a completely different thing.</p>
<p>be thankful that he still wrote a very strong letter for you.</p>
<p>One good example. He put my writing ability as "above average". I scored an 800 on my writing SAT, a 12 for my essay, a 5 for my AP exam, and I scored the highest average in his class. I should be subject to at least top 5 or 1 for that category. think about it. If he said I was 1 out of 75.. that would equal 1.3 percent. </p>
<p>He didn't lie, he was being extremely selfish and deceptive. Don't talk as though you know what the heck you are talking about because clearly, you don't know a thing.</p>
<p>touchy. alright then, I'll let you go back to thinking that you DO know what you're talking about, the same way you thought you'd get a perfect rec from him. xD</p>
<p>have you ever thought about this differently than "everybody's out to screw you over"? maybe he's strict with the checkboxes for every student he recs for. maybe that IS his opinion. maybe he DOESN'T have a grudge against you. maybe what YOU think is what different from what HE thinks. maybe over the years he's had some truly great writers that, god forbid, are actually better than you, so you're not one of the best in his career?</p>
<p>if you're going to go around calling people selfish and deceptive every time they don't give you what you want, then good luck to you.</p>
<p>then again, from the way you talk, and your massive ego,
[quote]
Instead of saying I was top 1 percent (which was expected for most or half of all categories)
[/quote]
I wouldn't be surprised if he had a grudge.</p>
<p>I always thought the letter part was much more important than the boxes, and you say he wrote you a fantastic letter. And if he even SHOWED you what he'd written, that's hardly being deceptive!</p>
<p>keep in mind that those boxes are asking him to compare you to the rest of the students he has taught in his CAREER. they are NOT asking how you compare to the rest of the students in your class. while you may be the best in your class (in your eyes, at least), perhaps he's had some students in the past that stick out in his mind as above you. as for the writing thing... as long as he's not your AP english teacher, i think you'll be fine. sometimes teachers who don't teach english don't know what to look for in students' writing. </p>
<p>i am also wondering how you saw the evaluation if you waived your right to view it...</p>
<p>If the OP had the highest grade of 75 students and participated regularily, I can't see how the teacher would call him only "above average" .. unless something is being left out or the teacher held some sort of grudge.</p>
<p>
[quote]
He put my writing ability as "above average". I scored an 800 on my writing SAT, a 12 for my essay, a 5 for my AP exam, and I scored the highest average in his class. I should be subject to at least top 5 or 1 for that category.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yeah, because we all know that such tests definitively measure your writing ability, right? (As an added note, I know quite a few amazing writers who didn't do as well on the SAT writing simply because it isn't so much about writing as about hammering out a crappy, formulaic, rigid essay in so few minutes, with little regard to the delicate nature of syntax, the ephemeral quality of words, or the sensitive aspect of sentences. Not to mention the MC is all about the nitty-gritty rules of "writing.")</p>
<p>Simply because the teacher didn't rate you "best in my career" for many of the categories doesn't mean he isn't being honest or trying to "screw you over." You seem distinguished among your group -- but of all that he's seen, apparently not so much.</p>
<p>I fail to see how it was "selfish" of him; how does giving you a poor recommendation benefit him? From the way you've been stressing how GREAT you are, I think that, perhaps, at least in the checkboxes that measure character, your teacher may have even been generous.</p>
<p>I still don't understand how you saw the checkbox form from the common app if you waived your right. You made that sound like a "mistake," even though you got to see the evaluation.</p>
<p>I think you are being selfish. Realize that you are the one who feels entitled to what you think you deserve. I don't think "above average" and "top 10%" are at all bad places to be.</p>
<p>Freud wrote that one method people use to deal with their personal faults is to project them onto the people around them.</p>
<p>For one thing, I don't see how he deceived you, if he showed you everything, even though you already waived your right. At my school, none of the kids see their teachers' recommendations. They provide addressed and stamped envelopes, forms, and a list of due dates, and the teacher does all of it. This teacher was more than open with you. A truly deceptive teacher would write terrible things about you and send it without telling you to all of your colleges.</p>
<p>One of my two teachers that I'm asking for recommendations has only been teaching for a few years, so I would not be surprised if he marked me as one of his top students. The other teacher, who teaches government, has been teaching for longer and one of his students last year worked on the campaign of a local Congressman, and is attending Yale. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't mark me as a high as the English teacher did. Either way, I am thankful that both teachers have taken the time to write their recommendations, and I trust they will write great things.</p>
<p>Next of all, selfish? Why would he take an hour of his life to write you a letter when he could have simply refused to do so? What would he stand to gain? At my school, all teachers all reserve the right to do so. So you believe this teacher accepted your recommendation request and was willing to take up his valuable time because he so badly wanted to harm you? And he did so by writing an amazing letter, and then secretly marking low percentages because he wanted to harm you? Your egotism warps your perception beyond comprehension.</p>
<p>If this is some sort of "satirical" joke for Thanksgiving, then I find it very disenchanting that you're making a mockery of such a loving, spiritual holiday. If this is real, you should look at yourself in the mirror long and hard and think about who you are.</p>