<p>Hey, </p>
<p>Can I ask a retired teacher I had as a sophomore for a recommendation letter?</p>
<p>1) you shouldn’t ask a teacher you had before 11th grade.
2) if you ask your retired teacher, it could possibly be a supplement rec, one that talks about things you’ve worked with the teacher on, projects, etc.</p>
<p>In my opinion (and also the opinion of some admission officers I’ve asked), you can ask anyone who has taught you during the past 2 years.</p>
<p>No problem. S’s favorite 11th grade teacher retired at the end of his junior year. She wrote him a recommendation, mailed it from wherever she had moved to, and no one said a word.</p>
<p>As long as the teacher has a relatively recent take on what you’ve been up to and can write articulately about you, I see no problem with using a retiree. However, if that teacher taught you before junior year, as noted above, it may be wise to relegate his/her rec to supplementary status, as appropriate.</p>
<p>IF he’s a darn good teacher who will write you a darn good recommendation.</p>
<p>its fine, but asking a soph prof isnt a good idea</p>