I asked my 9th grade honors algebra 2 teacher for a letter of recommendation. It might sound like a bad idea at first, but she’s the advisor of my school’s math team, in which I’ve been involved since freshman year. I’ve been a captain of the team since junior year, and my team won 1st place in the state tournament last year (1st time in school history). This teacher also knows about my involvement in the state math team and that I co-founded a math nonprofit in my community. I was an active participant in her class, and she told me that she has watched me grown into a capable leader throughout the years.
Math is one of my two focal points in my applications, so I really wanted a recommendation from a math teacher. I could’ve asked my AP Calc/multivariable teacher, but I’ve heard he’s not a very strong writer and basically rewrites a student’s resume.
My other recommendation comes from my AP Lit teacher who had taught me during both freshman and junior years. I don’t know if this is sufficient to balance out any weaknesses college may see from the previous letter.
I’m applying to many selective colleges, and I’ve already submitted my ED application to UPenn. Should I find a junior or senior year teacher for my other applications?
As long as your freshman teacher knows you well, as this post insinuated, I don’t see why it would be a bad idea. She can speak to your abilities and your growth over time. That said, it wouldn’t hurt to get a junior or senior teacher rec.
This teacher is perfect to write your LOR. He/she wasn’t just your 9th grade math teacher. This teacher has been involved with your growth in math over last 3 years.
Just a counterpoint: she can’t speak firsthand to your 11th or 12th grade math classroom skills. Penn and similar colleges ask for classroom observations (and the expectation is recent classes.) The math team coach sounds like a supplemental. Look at what Penn says.
You may be able to add the MV letter, if you’re aiming for stem. Or a soc sci if this is for econ.
I do believe this teacher meets those requirements, except for “ideally instructors from your junior or senior year…” It is not a requirement they are from junior or senior year. At the same time this teacher can provide information about OP’s work ethic, collaboration and interactions with classmates over 3 years period, not just over one year. I think this teacher probably has better insight of OP as a math student than his junior or senior teacher. He/she probably also write a stronger LOR.
If you are uncertain I would consult your GC or even call up UPenn AO.
@lookingforward@oldfort I am considering asking my calc teacher (had me 10th & 11th grades) for a LoR and changing my math coach’s LoR to supplement for my other applications. I think I will contact UPenn AO tomorrow to see if they have an opinion and if it’s possible to send in another LoR.
I think you should look into finding a junior year teacher. According to my school’s counselors, colleges won’t take the letters very seriously unless it comes from a junior year teacher.
I would not do a freshman teacher…THink about it this way, if you are a college, you want students who can do college work and do well in a college environment. They see you got an A+ in Calculus last year…but a college would want to know if you were a hard worker who got an A+, or an exceptionally talented math student who is the best you have seen in 5 years ? A freshman math teacher wouldn’t know that.
How do you know what a junior Math teacher would write in a recommendation?
I would suggest asking your freshman math teacher to write a supplemental LOR – one that is focused on your ECs in the math arena, the personal attributes you have shown doing these etc. and having a more recent classroom teacher (AP Calc teacher) provide a second teacher LOR.