<p>--I know I've posted the same post elsewhere, but since it applies almost specifically to Stanford (though the same question applies for elsewhere), I thought I'd post it here as well--</p>
<p>Mmk, so I'm badly in need of some advice. My counselor at school, who I just adore and who has been a wealth of information this year, is relocating over the summer and won't be there next year. Now, this is a person who knows me better than any other adult in my life outside of my family. The problem is as follows...I'm applying to Stanford SCEA in the fall, and he had this amaaaazing recommendation planned for me (arguably the best recommendation I have ever received from any teacher, even the teachers that adore me). This is a person who knows me not only inside and out, but oftentimes better than I know myself. The school will be employing a new counselor next year, and I will most likely go to him/her or a counselor to whom I have never talked. The problem is that this counselor will know me for at most a month before my application is due, and that month will most likely be two weeks since everything is really hectic at the beginning of this year. Hence, the amazing recommendation that I was relying on will be reduced to nothingness.</p>
<p>Now, I was wondering if there was anything I could do about this situation. Would it be okay if I asked my old counselor to write my recommendation and for my new counselor to sign it? I noticed that on the Stanford application in particular (I think it's the same on every app though), it asks what the report is based on -- personal contact with student, teacher comments, OTHER COUNSELOR OBSERVATIONS, or records. Would it be okay if my old counselor filled out all the information and the "other counselor observations" box would be checked?</p>
<p>I don't believe your new counselor will sign recommendation written by someone else, but I would be very surprized if he did not agree for the old counselor to write (and sign) the recommendation for you - it would only make his life easier.</p>
<p>Wait, so it's okay for my old counselor to both write and sign the counselor rec even though he no longer works at my school?</p>
<p>I just noticed that the app says "To the applicant -- please fill in the personal information above and then give this form, along with a stamped 9x12 envelope to which you have affixed the appropriate Stanford mailing label, to your current principal or counselor. If you will graduate from a school other than the one you attended last year, please refer to the Instructions and submit a second Form 3." I'm not sure if the opposite of that applies. Also, since the teacher recs are for grades 11-12 for Stanford, would there be a chance that the same philosophy applies for counselor recs, since I had him in grade 11?</p>
<p>i dont see why your old counselor cant write it still. cause he knows you and has had contact with you. this doesnt seem very complicated bud.....</p>
<p>But on the form it says, and I quote word-for-word "Give this form...to your current principal or counselor." However, I know that Ivies supposedly let people in situations like this use their old counselor.</p>
<p>If it were as simple as what you're saying, werunthis, I wouldn't be asking now would I?</p>
<p>Call Stanford. But they want to know about you in particular, and if your old counselor knows you better than a brand new one, they should be fine with the old counselor's rec.</p>
<p>The reason they might want your current counselor is that they would be able to contact him/her if they have questions. So you could ask the old counselor to write your recommendation, and ask the new one to just include a note explaining the situation. I don't think there will be any problem with that.</p>
<p>you can always submit more than the required recommendations. have your new counselor submit one. then have your old counselor submit one as a mentor, etc. and explain the situation.</p>