<p>I realize that THEY realize it's part of their job to get asked to write these. Do you have any horror stories of asking teachers to write them? Have they ever denied writing one for you? How did you go about the process?</p>
<p>I plan on asking my AP English teacher, and my Art teacher, both have very unique personalities, but I don't want to be a burden making them write papers.</p>
<p>I asked two teachers at the end of the year. Both of them don’t get a ridiculous amount of recommendations. I asked them and they said they would be happy to do them and that they enjoy writing these things. It was all over within 2 minutes.</p>
<p>Plus your AP English teacher probably makes you write a lot, so don’t feel bad lol</p>
<p>prsguitar: Teachers know students need them. If, for any reason, they feel they aren’t a good choice for you (i.e. can’t honestly endorse you), they’ll tell you to ask someone else.</p>
<p>BTW: an Art teacher usually does not suffice for a 2nd, required rec letter. That one should be the third, supplemental rec letter. Colleges usually want the 2 required ones to be from academic subject instructors</p>
<p>One of my teachers was cool about it and said that he would gladly write one. The other one loves me so much that he asked if he should write me a LOR. He later told me that he was going to write me one anyway regardless of if I asked him or not. o.0 But both are amazing teachers so its okay.</p>
<p>One of my teachers offered to write me one before I even asked, when I eventually officially asked she hugged me. I have asked my one teacher for two reqs before (she got slightly annoyed the second time because she lost the first one and had to write a new req, but had said she would love to the first time), though she loves me so from my understanding she still wrote a great req (still have to ask in her in the fall one more time). My last one likes me but hates my work ethic (one of my best friends is in her class, we talk a LOT), the only reason I was not afraid to ask was because she is known for writing good reqs if you pull a decent grade and never cheated, she said she would be happy to.</p>
<p>Prsguitar, let’s note, first of all, that it’s probably more accurate to say “comes with the territory” than “part of the job.” Writing recommendations really isn’t part of the job, inasmuch as teachers are not paid for the task, nor are they released from other duties that are by contract part of the job so that they’ll have time to do their college recommendations. Nevertheless, teachers do expect that they’ll be asked, and teachers who teach a lot of juniors expect that they’ll be asked a lot. In addition, let’s assume for the sake of argument that the teachers in question are not lunatics. They will usually respond in one of three ways.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>“Yes.” This may be accompanied by a request for more information, such as, “Where are you thinking of applying?” or “Do you know what you’re planning to study?” I think it is by far the most common response.</p></li>
<li><p>“I’m sorry, but I have too many requests for recommendations already.” This is a fair response. For one thing, as noted above, teachers who write your recommendations are doing you a favor for which they’re not compensated. In addition, writing a recommendation well takes time, and writing a lot of them takes a lot of time. It wouldn’t be fair if your teacher had to rush the recommendations of students who’d asked earlier in order to squeeze yours in, and it wouldn’t be any help to you if the teacher did a poor job on your recommendation because he or she was rushing. For this reason, it’s a good idea to ask teachers for recommendations at the end of junior year or in the first few days of senior year.</p></li>
<li><p>“I’m sorry, but I think you should ask somebody else.” This is a polite way of saying, “I really can’t recommend you.” It’s disappointing to get this answer, but if you get it, you shouldn’t argue. A recommendation from a teacher who can’t really recommend you will be detrimental.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Now, if your teachers really are lunatics, then of course there’s no predicting how they’ll answer.</p>
<p>And for the record, T26E4 is giving you important advice about your art teacher. Many colleges and universities specify that they want recommendations from a teacher who’s taught you in an academic subject, meaning English, math, science, social studies or foreign language. A lot of colleges and universities ask for only one teacher recommendation. For those schools, you seem to have things covered: your AP English teacher has taught you in an academic subject, and if your art teacher can say things about you that your English teacher can’t, then you can send that letter as a supplement. But some selective colleges and universities ask for two letters of recommendation. For those schools, I think you’d better find another teacher from an academic subject. You could still send the art teacher’s letter as a supplement if you think it will reveal good things about you that won’t come out in the other teachers’ letters.</p>
<p>I casually asked my Calculus teacher for a LOR at a grad party even though it’s been over a year since I took AP Calculus. (I’ll be taking Multivariable Calc with him though.) He was cool with it. You won’t know if a teacher will write you a LOR unless you ask your him/her, so ask away.</p>
<p>Some tips:
<p>My daughter asked for her LORs in the spring of her junior year, then gave them the forms when they became available. I think her teachers ended up sending the letters electronically, but having the forms was a reminder for them. She said they were all very gracious about it. Teachers don’t have to do these, but most expect to be asked, and some are very pleased.</p>
<p>I had no problems, I get along really well with my teachers, although they did say to come back to them first day of school about it. They enjoy their summer vacation, too. I was just interested in getting the ball rolling early but that’s OK.</p>
<p>Do you guys think it matters what year you had the teacher ? I’m interested in English…My freshman honors lit teacher was wonderful but my sophomore honors teacher was an idiot and my AP lit teacher and I just didn’t click…</p>
<p>I do. Some colleges require (and I think many more expect) that recommendations will come from teachers who have taught the applicant in the 11th or 12th grade in an academic subject: English, math, science, social studies or foreign language.</p>
<p>A lot of teachers feel touched and a bit honored by being asked to write a LOR. There are a few teachers that have generic formats for LORs beforehand, and try to fit the student into them.</p>
<p>
Depends on the college.</p>
<p>A lot more teachers felt touched and honored the first couple dozen times. Then the novelty wore off. </p>
<p>They’re still happy to do it and all, but not a lot of experienced teachers I know are still flattered to be asked.</p>
<p>Even if a teacher committed to write you a letter last spring–remind them early in the fall, and get them the forms they may need pronto. You want to be one of the first that they write, not one at the end of the line when they are sick of the task.</p>
<p>Make the job as easy as possible for the teachers. </p>
<p>My sons gave each teacher a folder with their name and contact number on it, and in it there was </p>
<p>1) a thank you note; </p>
<p>2) a copy of his “brag sheet” that was prepared with the help of his GC; and </p>
<p>3) a brief memo with any necessary instructions (whether a part of the common app, and how to do that; whether a school required something done differently or something unique etc–and the materials with which to do it–for example, an addressed and stamped envelope if necessary) </p>
<p>4) a copy of anything that would help the teacher write the recommendation–work samples, newspaper articles etc.</p>
<p>My boys generally delivered these materials to the teachers during the prep week before the official start of school, when they were already at school for things like sports practice, etc.</p>
<p>Everything that boysx3 just said goes double for me.</p>
<p>Mine said yes before I could finish asking. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but that’s how it happened.</p>
<p>Me: “Hey, Mrs. F______, I’m going to be applying to some schools early next ye-”</p>
<p>Teacher: “Absolutely, anything you need from me, just email me over the summer and we’ll get you all set.”</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Oh, come on, yes you do! How could that possibly be anything but good?</p>
<p>The words sound good, but the tone was almost as if I was being troublesome, and they wanted me out of their hair. Maybe it was intended to be more of a “I thought you’d never ask” tone, but I don’t know, man.</p>
<p>Both letters should be excellent, regardless.</p>
<p>I asked four teachers (Algebra II, Biology, Theology III, and English III) to write them for me. All four were more than happy to write mine! They all saw me as a nice, dedicated student. My bio teacher even described me as “one of the best she’s ever taught.” Besides, who wouldn’t want to write the homecoming king a letter??? Hahaha jk :D</p>