<p>Do electives teachers count? I'm taking a second language course and was wondering if I could get a recommendation from that teacher...</p>
<p>Only for the personality recommendation. You can pick whomever you want.</p>
<p>ya, she'll work. :)</p>
<p>If you find a third-party, unrelated adult who knows you personally and can speak to the qualities that you possess that will be an asset to a boarding school community, ask that person if they will be willing to take some time and write you a recommendation in support of your application for boarding school. If they're willing, give them a stamped, addressed envelope for each school you're applying to and a standard recommendation form for them to use, if that's easier for them. (Some people prefer to write a letter and not use a form and that's perfectly fine.)</p>
<p>If you know two, perhaps up to three, such people enlist their support in the same manner.</p>
<p>Don't bother with the soccer coach and assistant soccer coach. That would be somewhat redundant. Do consider the volunteer coordinator at the food bank in addition to the soccer coach (or the assistant soccer coach if the assistant is the more articulate of the two).</p>
<p>Make yourself available to your recommenders to talk to them about what's going on and what you need from them and so they can get to know you a little better. At the very least, provide them with some sort of written explanation of what you're trying to accomplish and why you want to go to boarding school -- especially if they are not well versed in what boarding school is all about and how competitive it is (and the ways in which it is competitive).</p>
<p>Send them thank you notes when the application is due (which may also serve as a gentle reminder that the deadline is upon them) and keep them apprised of the results...perhaps with yet another thank you note.</p>
<p>We've be thinking about the personal recommendations and who to ask. First thought was the lacrosse coach, but he's not too supportive of my son leaving. He does volunteer at the YMCA and the instructor could write his recommendation, but will they think it's odd that the kid who loves lacrosse didn't get a lacrosse recommendation???</p>
<p>Also, the soccer coach is in the process of writng a recommendation letter. He isn't going to want to fill out forms also. Can he just send in the letter without the form? Will this count as the personal recommendation?</p>
<p>No, it wouldn't be odd to not have a lacrosse coach write a recommendation. Maybe the school has a new coach. Maybe there have been many coaches over the years who never got to know the applicant. Maybe the coach is illiterate or clueless about how to write a recommendation. Or maybe the coach isn't an ideal recommender because he doesn't support the student's decision to change schools. I don't think there's much peril to that decision.</p>
<p>Plus, you've got a soccer coach writing a recommendation. Presumably these recommendations speak to more than athletic ability, but a soccer coach recommendation AND a lacrosse coach recommendation aren't likely to add value in terms of insights.</p>
<p>The soccer coach can send in a letter if he wants. The more he can address factors that are covered on the forms, the better. But it will count. The schools that require a third recommendation aren't going to be so anal retentive as to regard an application as being incomplete because a recommendation didn't come in on a prescribed form. (You're still well advised to confirm that, but the schools are quite forgiving about recommendations, from format to being a few days past the application deadline.)</p>
<p>Kids don't always have lots of adults in their lives who can give frank assessments of them as learners, workers, citizens, athletes, musicians, etc. If there are other adults who see a different side of your son, consider asking them to write an additional personal recommendation. Even though one personal recommendation form came in the application package, you can send back two. If the recommendations help portray a more accurate picture of the applicant, the admissions committees will appreciate the extra paperwork, as it actually gives them a higher degree of confidence in their assessments.</p>
<p>dyer, you are right. i am afraid my teacher do not know me that well. plus, i am probably the only kid in my school applying to boarding school this year. i am afraid they do not know me well enough to write a strong enough recommendation. lucky for me, i have been with the same football coach since i was seven. he knows me better than any adult other than my parents.</p>