<p>The title is exaggerated, but I am going to approach my teachers in the upcoming weeks and I need some help. Some recommendations are due Novemer 1 and others are due in January, so I am debating whether I should ask them to complete all recommendations now, or just approach them now about the November ones first and save the January set for later...Also, what is just a good way to begin to tell them that I am trying to go to another school..
Thanks!</p>
<p>Do you have day schools with the Nov 1 deadline?? That is really early.</p>
<p>I have heard people recommend that students write a letter to their teachers telling them why they are pursuing other options, in the most diplomatic way of course, and then enclosing that with the application forms. Teachers want the best opportunities for their students so I wouldn’t fret about their reactions too much.</p>
<p>Polodolly - Ask the schools you’re applying to if they accept common recommendations. If yes (and most schools do), then your teachers only need to fill out one recommendation and, as long as they keep a copy, they can send it to all the other schools as well.</p>
<p>@Neato Burrito, technically it’s not a school. I am applying for ABC and that is why I need them so soon.
@Dodgersmom: Really?I didn’t know that! Thanks I will ask and see if they can fill them out</p>
<p>The SSAT site has both a common application (which is accepted by many, many schools) and a set of common recommendation forms. Even the schools that do not accept the SSAT application will still usually accept the recommendation forms. Sometimes a school will want an additional recommendation form that is not supplied on the SSAT site - such as a third academic subject or an extracurricular - but the basic math & English recommendations, as well as the school counselor recommendation, tend to be accepted by most schools.</p>
<p>TABS (“The Association of Boarding Schools”) also has its own common application and recommendation forms. The application is remarkably similar to the SSAT application, and I believe the recommendation forms are just about identical.</p>
<p>Use whichever recommendation forms you prefer. Just don’t make the mistake we did last year - of giving the teachers a different set of forms for every school my son applied to!</p>
<p>By the way, I credit neatoburrito for mentioning the common forms in a post last year . . . if it weren’t for her, we probably never would have figured it out!</p>
<p>By the way, one other thing you can do is go back to your teachers in January and ask if they’d be willing to write a short note to update the schools on how you’re doing in their class. Again - one short note which the teacher can make copies of for all the schools. And the schools are always happy to get updates on your progress.</p>
<p>My teachers say that they would rather just write a letter and send it to the schools…do you know if that would be acceptable?</p>
<p>Some schools say that your teachers can write a letter for you but they have to check off the boxes on bottom of the recommendation form. I would be sure look on their website or e-mail admissions and ask.</p>
<p>Thanks again 2010 hopeful!</p>