<p>Basically I'm in a jam right now. One of my universities is asking for a college recommendation from a science teacher. My science teacher in 10th grade and 12th grade cannot write my college recs (my school has a policy limiting number of college recs per teacher). Now i have no choice but to ask my 11th grade AP Physics teacher. He gave me a B+ last year and has a bad impression of me. So my question is can teachers write you a bad recommendation? Also if they do write you a bad rec will it affect your chances significantly? </p>
<p>^Btw by bad impression he thinks I cheated on all his tests using a question bank even though I didnt</p>
<p>You can ask him if he would write you a recommendation. Understand, he has no obligation to do so. if he really has a bad opinion of you, as you say, he can simply say no. Just because you had a B in his class does not mean he would write an unfavorable review. What is important is your character and work ethic and how your interacted in his class, etc.</p>
<p>Your 10th or 12th grade teacher may make an exception to the school rule and write you a recommendation if you ask. I wouldn’t ask a teacher for rec, if he/she thinks I cheated. How do you know your teacher thinks you cheated? If the University is not high up on your list, you can take a chance with your 11th grade teacher.</p>
<p>Can you speak to your GC about this or maybe have a one on one conversation with your other science teachers? If he really believes that you cheated then avoid having him write your recommendation. </p>
<p>Talk to your counselor, in person. Surely the limit is not completely set in stone and an exception can be made.</p>
<p>In the meantime, write a negative recommendation for your physics teacher for not writing his own test questions. </p>
<p>the university im applying to that needs the science rec is worcester polytechnic institute which i think i’ll get into on the basis of grades. I asked my principal about making an exception to the rule but he said no because a lot of students have already asked him for exceptions for various reasons and he doesnt want to set a bad precedent. I’m thinking ill talk to my physic teacher (by talking i mean buttkiss :P). i think i ll be okay. My real question was how much does the recommendation affect your application not only in my case but in general? </p>
<p>Principals are bureaucrats and you need to learn to avoid bureaucrats if you want to go anywhere in life. Go talk to your teachers directly and if they are willing to write the recommendation, you are done. Since you are applying to a Math/Science school WPI, I would say the Science recommendation is important.</p>