<p>You need to learn from this experience and be more outgoing in class. It sounds like you go to a large school where standing out is difficult. Make it a goal in at least one class to get noticed by the teacher. Since you only have a few weeks of class, there’s no time to waste!
From what you’ve described, I do think your chemistry teacher could be prevailed upon. Write a one-page summary of your chemistry and other science pursuits. Make an appointment with the teacher and give him the summary while you ask again for a recommendation. Mention that he was one of your favorite teachers and you’d prefer him to write the rec over anyone else. Don’t be discouraged by one or two refusals - a good salesman never is.</p>
<p>I agree with northstar…you should devote at least 3 hours a week staying afterschool and getting to know 3 teachers well and telling them about your hopes and dreams. A month from now and in plenty of time for those deadlines you will have 3 new friends who you can ask for a recommendation. You have to invest the effort to get what you want in a productive manner. Kissing up is a lifelong skill that you need to start learning now…it will come in handy during your work career. Never too late to start.</p>
<p>“Kissing up is a lifelong skill that you need to start learning now…”</p>
<p>I hate terms like “kissing up” and “brown nosing.” If one takes the time to get to know and appreciate one’s teachers, employers, co-workers, etc. it pays off, but I think it’s calculating to only do things like this because of what you can get in return. In general, for instance, people teach because they are interested in students. Consequently, when students ask and answer questions in class and otherwise demonstrate an interest in what the teacher is teaching, and also take the time to have an occasional two-sided chat (by this I mean asking the teacher about their day, etc., not just blathering about oneself) with teachers and to assist teachers with their projects and clubs, of course those are the students whom teachers will remember and will be able to write good recommendations for.</p>
<p>The student who never raises their hand and doesn’t even grunt when they pass the teacher in the hall will be the one that the teacher won’t remember, and do you blame that teacher?</p>