Getting another letter of recommendation...

Applying to College
1

<p>Right now I am a Junior in high school, I'm starting my essays for my first choice college (which has rolling admissions) and I'm having difficulty choosing who to ask for my second letter of recommendation. My first should be set, it's my debate coach, and she has already written me several glowing recommendations in the past.</p>

<p>The problem here, is that while I do well in school, I happen to be somewhat....belligerent. I'm not really that aggressive, it's just that I ask difficult questions, and I'm rather confident. I don't want to make it sound like I'm being prick, generally I'm not. I just come off as the vocal one in the classroom.</p>

<p>Now, I get the general feeling from most of my teachers, that they probably don't like me very much. I definitely assist in group conversations, and I answer many of the questions posed, but I don't connect well with figures of authority. I'm quite the skeptic, so I strive to find answers to questions and determine other people's motivations for performing certain actions. So, in class this can sometimes result in a conflict between me and a teacher. Most of them have not been major (one exception), but they all have been conflicts.</p>

<p>So, does anyone have any particular suggestions? I can definitely still ask them for recommendations, but I would be afraid that they will not be very good. The only one that I might try, would be my English teacher, but that would be a stretch, and if there are any other options that I can try I would prefer to try them first.</p>

2

<p>I hate bumping but like help.</p>

3

<p>Interesting.</p>

<p>You have a sense your teachers don’t like this, but my gut tells me teachers love this…somebody who sparks discussion, debates, gives and brings out different points of view.</p>

<p>If I were you, I might pick the one or two you might have the best luck with, make an appointment for a face-to-face, and sit down and say to him/her exactly what you said in your original post:</p>

<p>“Mr. Smith, as you know, I’m quite the skeptic, so I strive to find answers to questions and determine other people’s motivations for performing certain actions. I understand in class this can sometimes result in a conflict, but is there anything about my style that you enjoy in class?”</p>

<p>Depending on how the discussion goes, you can assess whether or not it’s appropriate to ask for a rec. Try to use a little humor, if possible, but whatever happens, do NOT get defensive. Use it as a learning experience, even if you don’t leave with the promise of a rec.</p>

<p>Good luck to you. You sound like a decent person.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the advice. I’ll definitely set up appointments with some of my teachers.</p>

5

<p>So, does anyone have any advice on how to tell if the teacher is okay with writing me a recommendation? Should I just wait and see if he hesitates?</p>