<p>Hi, here’s an almost final list of schools I’m applying to:
Brown (ED), Amherst, Yale, Columbia, Swarthmore, Georgetown, NYU, Northwestern, Wellesley, Smith, USC, UCs (Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Irvine) </p>
<p>For the past year, I’ve been pretty confident about who I want to ask for letters of recommendation. But I’d still like some advice.
(This is a kinda long post, but I’d appreciate it if you read it to get the gist)</p>
<li><p>AP English teacher (11th); newspaper advisor (10th-11th) (if it matters, his undergrad was at UC Berkeley, grad at NYU)
I’ve been editor for the past two years and will be Co-Editor-in-Chief this year. Good grades (As, 5 on AP EngLang) in the English class. I have a strong relationship with him, often going to him for advice on both academic and non-academic things. I participate actively in English class, and he usually enjoys what I have to say. I want to pursue a career in journalism; he’s written recommendation letters for my newspaper internship and a journalism mini-course I took at Brown (He let me read one of them, and it sounded really good). Awarded me a student of the month award for English.
------However, he has left our school for personal reasons, and is now teaching at another school nearby. I have all of his contact info though.</p></li>
<li><p>IB Philosophy/TOK I teacher (11th); IB Extended Essay advisor (undergrad UCLA)
I’ve developed a love for philosophy after taking her class, and plan on having it as a second major (in addition to English). A+s both semesters. I participate a lot in class, and have a real passion for the subject. For class presentations and projects, I usually do something unusual with the topic (i.e. debate, puppet show with philosophers), which she praised. I think she really likes me, since she said that she would write rec letters for me if I wanted to her and usually notes that I’m the only one who actually participates and pays attention in class. She awarded me student of the year in philosophy.
----However, I don’t know if I should get a rec letter from a math/science teacher to balance out the humanities focus of #1. Also, she was going to be my TOK II teacher too, but her schedule was too full, so the school assigned my old AP Euro teacher to the class (I got a B in the class, and a 5 on the AP exam). It would have been better if she was my 12th grade teacher too.</p></li>
<li><p>AP Biology teacher (11th) (undergrad Smith; masters/PhD at some state schools)
I did pretty well in her class (As both semesters; 4 on AP exam) I participated often and she usually liked my projects and presentations. Despite her bio focus, she’s still interested in my ECs and often asks what I’m doing with those activities (i.e. the newspaper internship).
Before I even asked her, she said that she would write recs for me. And, I think I might need a science teacher rec.
----she did give me Ss (satisfactory, rather than O for outstanding) for citizenship and effort (not shown on final transcript) though.</p></li>
<li><p>Honors English teacher (10th); “IB” Film teacher (11th); (undergrad UCI)
I did really well in both of his classes (As; student of the year for English). He seems to really like me, and I go to him for advice sometimes. He’s a strong writer.
—The film class isn’t an academic subject, and the English was 10th grade. I don’t know if I should have two recs from English teachers though (unless I used one as a 3rd rec, if needed).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Please help me choose which ones. Should I mix and match any based on the colleges they attended?</p>
<p>Thank you for your help!</p>