I can’t decide between using my 12th grade AP Literature teacher’s letter of recommendation or my 11th grade Math teacher’s recommendation. I feel like my English teacher would be more critical but provide more insight. My Math teacher would most likely speak very highly of me but not go as in depth. I think my English teacher may not have given me as high ratings as my Math teacher did, but she probably went more in depth with her letter than my Math teacher.
My other rec. is from my 12th grade Physics teacher.
Do colleges have a preference for 1 Humanities and 1 Math/Science recommendation or is 2 Math/Science good?
Please help me decide, Thank you!
Does your counselor have any suggestions about who writes better recommendation letters? See http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs for examples (actually, have the teachers and counselors at your school read that page?).
Regarding the subjects that the teachers who write your letters taught, it may depend on the college. Some colleges have specific requirements. For example, MIT wants one from a math or science teacher and one from a humanities, social studies, or language teacher.
The thing is I know my Math teacher wrote me a letter solely speaking highly of me but not going as in depth as it could be. I feel like my English teacher might have mentioned a negative quality about me, but including how I can improve upon that quality in college.
Not sure which recommendation to use…
My D was advised that it was good to submit references from distinct academic disciplines, so on that basis I would submit English for sure. You don’t say anything about your physics rec, so decide which of those two you think will be best.
You should ask core academic teachers only (math, science, English, social studies, foreign language), unless otherwise specified (such as an orchestra or band teacher if you are applying to a music school). It may be great to ask for a letter from at least one math/science teacher, and a letter from at least one English/social studies teacher. What matters most, however, is that the teacher can speak positively about you.
Just as a teacher “are you willing and able to write a positive letter of rec on my behalf?” Ideally, a teacher should not screw you over by telling you they can, and then speak negatively about you.