HELP! some personal questions about recommendation from teachers and counsellor

Applying to College
1

<p>OK, hi.. just started winter break and totally anxious about all the college stuff right now. Hopefully someone could help me out a little bit here. I would appreciate it so much.
I'm just gonna list some questions and problems I am facing down here.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I have never had any teacher twice for any of my classes, and I am positive I won't have any unless I request it from my counsellor. Likely by the time I am requesting it, the teacher's class is full already or he doesn't teach the subject I want. So if I ask for recommendation from a teacher who does not currently teach me (but I had class with, only once though), will that work well or not?</p></li>
<li><p>I am in a high school in Canada with more than 2000 people (yep u see it right!). Apparently, my counsellor doesn't know me very well. Except she probably had my name stuck in her head for like a day or two just few days ago because I happened to talk to her twice in a week because she missed my name on the honour roll list and she forgot to correct it the first time I talked to her. So I think I will talk to her after the school resumed. I will tell her about my plans for college and some specific things I will do. And then I will ask her what I can do to get her know me better. Does this sound good enough?</p></li>
<li><p>Do recommendations have to be from teachers in academic courses? And if I want to submit other recommendations, do I have to have the 2 from the teachers first and count the other as an extra? Or can I count that one as part of the 2 recommendations required?</p></li>
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<p>I really appreciate anyone who's helping me answering this.</p>

<p>And wish u all have a wonderful winter break.</p>

2

<ol>
<li><p>Many, if not most, recs are from teachers you had when you were a junior. They taught you for a full year (as opposed to your senior year teachers at the time of rec request). So, to answer your question, that would work just fine. When deciding whom to ask to submit a rec, let common sense be your guide. Did you do well in the class? Do you have a good rapport with the teacher? When you ask the teacher for the rec, does s/he seem enthusiastic and look you in the eye? Or does s/he look down on the floor and say “I’m pretty busy?” Let common sense be your guide.</p></li>
<li><p>Counselors’ jobs are to know their “charges” on paper. It’s the teachers who really need to know you. That being said, sure, meet with your counselor, get to know him/her, and make sure s/he knows all about you and your plans. Couldn’t hurt.</p></li>
<li><p>Most schools require recs from two academic teachers, and they must be from a “science/math-type” teacher and a “history/english-type” teacher. You need to check on each specific school. Some will accept a third rec; others will say don’t bother. Can’t give you a blanket answer on this one; you need to check with each school you apply to.</p></li>
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<p>What if the teachers only taught me one semester (half of a year)…?</p>