Do admissions officers care who wrote your recommendation?

Applying to College
1

I didn’t really think of this as a problem until recently. Most of my teachers know me equally well so I thought I would just pick any two teachers to write my recommendations for the common app. When I was trying to figure out who to pick, my friend said that it didn’t matter, so long as I don’t pick a non-AP teacher (all but two of my classes are APs). Do admissions officers for tougher schools really care if I picked an Honors teacher to write my rec?

I need two teachers so I might go with one honors, one AP. but the truth on this question would be much appreciated lol

2

I have an honors teacher that might know me a tad better and I do exceptionally well in the class so that may be important

3

Friends say a lot of things, don’t they? For entertainment you might ask the friend how they “know” this, although I’m sure they’re 110% convinced and will spin a good yarn.

Chalk this up to a novel variant on the usual lunchroom admission rumors about the importance of being “well rounded”, of volunteer work, of taking classes in your intended major, etc

If you want to understand what colleges actually look for in rec letters, see this post from MIT: http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/about_mit_recommendation_lette

4

IMHO - you should pick recommenders based on the depth of their knowledge and your involvement with you, rather than what courses they teach.

5

The way to get a good rec is to choose a teacher with whom you have a meaningful relationship with and who knows your classroom personality well enough to describe how you would fit in at a college.

6

Pick the teacher that you think would write the best letter of the ones that know you the best. Also, is this for this year? (I hope you are a junior!) It’s getting pretty late in the season. Many teachers may not even be willing to write one at this late date. If you are a senior, prepare a packet with a resume or list of activities for each teacher and start asking tomorrow morning at school. Get there early and ask before class. These things are due in a few weeks and Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner.