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<p>My D’s teacher told her that she checked a few 5% boxes because it lends more credibility to the 1% boxes. A lot depends on how competive your school is- if you are from a relatively unknown low-performing public school where most people go to community colleges, it might be conceivable that you are in the top 1% in each category, but in a high-performing school (public or private) no single student is likely to be in the top 1% for each box.</p>
<p>“also are personal/character qualities important? both of my recs talked about personal qualities in addition to academics; one of them said i was one of the kindest students he had ever met, both talked about my humble nature, etc. is that kind of stuff important to admissions officers?”</p>
<p>I’m curious about this too. My teachers also praised personal qualities of mine. Does it have any bearing?</p>
<p>One teacher of mine gave about 60% top 1% and 40% top 5%. The other teacher gave about some in both, and two in top 10%…that is a strict one~
My teachers gave me glances of my recs…they gave lots of detaisl and is well-written, but they didn’t compare me with other students. Both teachers had said to me something like “one of the best students I’ve ever seen” but they didn’t put it down to words…</p>
<p>My guidance counselor and I agreed that even a couple of “unable to evaluate” and “5%” gives more credibility than a maxed out 1% column. It kind of shows that the teacher did not give much thought into the matter.</p>
<p>So when my teachers asked me whether they should put all top 1%, I specifically told them to throw in a few marks in the second column. </p>
<p>I honestly think that not everyone can realistically achieve the 1% mark for a teacher in every category. Besides, how is a biology teacher who has only issued multiple choice exams going to evaluate me on my “quality of writing”?</p>
<p>Although all three letters said something about me being “one of their best students ever”.</p>
<p>Not sure if it makes a big difference</p>
<p>From what I’ve been able to gleam, the ratings are only used insofar as comparison is concerned - i.e. between two students with the same teachers giving the ratings, and looking at past precedent and what the teacher has given before to gauge present standards. Apart from that, as other posts have said, it is the actual recommendation letter that matters - no amount of “top 1%” ratings can compensate for a lackluster letter.</p>
<p>Wow sounds like you all got pretty good recs, i mean “one of the best students ever” is pretty tough to beat…</p>
<p>although one of my teachers wrote that “[nitro hawk] is the second coming of jesus…”</p>
<p>BAHAHAHHAHAHAHAA Nitro Hawk that is EPIC if that was actually real and not a joke?</p>
<p>I didn’t even bother talking to my teachers about the boxes. Though I did compile a document of tips for how to write USA style recommendations, but I made sure I said that I still trusted them to do without it, and to only read it if they had time or were stuck.
I think that worked well, and though I waived my right, all my teachers felt so proud of their letters that they WANTED me to see it =)</p>
<p>pshhhh. my teacher said i was jesus!!!</p>
<p>umm, i got chuck norris to write my +1 and he said “[Nitro Hawk] is my equal…”</p>
<p>top that pigs… :P</p>
<p>my teacher also said i was chuck norris</p>
<p>what what?</p>
<p>@pigs, well i actually also got a rec from your teacher who happened to explain the context of the recs he/she (:P) wrote for you in my rec.</p>
<p>I quote:</p>
<p>“[Nitro Hawk]'s brilliance transcends a plane of thought so elevated above the common realm, that it rivals even the great black depths of hopless dispair to which the world would ultimately have decended below the common realm, if [pigs] was jesus…” (this was the Math/Science rec as you can see by the subjunctive grammar error :P)</p>
<p>“[Nitro Hawk]'s general awsomeness reaffirmed my decision to become a teacher. For before his presence graced my classroom i felt as though someone had told me [pigs] was the real chuck norris…”</p>
<p>what what what? :P</p>