<p>I don't regret my teacher rec choices, because those were the only teachers that really knew me well enough to write a good recommendation. But my recs were basically bland and cookie cutter. I didn't think about it before, but I'm starting to worry that it could really hurt me. </p>
<p>When I went to pick up my rec from one of my teachers, he basically told me that he was using the same one for everyone and just substituted in my name. What the hell is that?? I was so ****ed off, but I couldn't just tell him to write me another one.</p>
<p>My other teacher let me see the rec she wrote, and it was basically "___ is a great student, very intelligent, blah blah" and nothing really unique or interesting about me. It was like 3/4 of a page.</p>
<p>I think the problem is, my school isn't really that prestigious, and none of my teachers really have experience writing recommendations for top schools. Those recs would be okay for University of Maryland, but not for Stanford, Cornell, etc.</p>
<p>Anyone else had average teacher recs and still got in? Or have any ideas about how I can cover up for this in other aspects of my app?</p>
<p>How is your guidance counselor's rec? This could really hurt you, they look for intangibles in the recs and essays, which are what get you in. You're going to really need to shine in your essays, really show them who you are. See if you can find someone you've maintained a professional or academic relationship with and ask them to write an optional rec.</p>
<p>i never saw my GC rec, but knowing my school's GC it was probably bland as well.</p>
<p>my essays are great, as far as showing who i am and showing passion. there's like 5 of them, and only 2 teacher recs, so hopefully i can still cover up for myself.</p>
<p>that optional rec is a pretty good idea.. is it too late, do you think? or could i even turn that in after i submit my app?</p>
<p>No its not too late if you can get them to write in in say less than three weeks. I don't think the start considering your application until at least a week after the deadline, most likely much more. Find someone, get them to write it, and send it in as soon as possible and you should be more than set.</p>
<p>I believe you can, since that is the teacher's fault and not the applicants. I read somewhere on CommonApp that even for the online submissions, they allow teachers to submit late. I'd check that out further though.</p>
<p>For this type of teacher, I would ghost-write your own letter and let them sign it/alter it. It's not uncommon, I'm sure the teacher would be glad you took the burden off!</p>
<p>bump! ^not a bad idea... one of our family friends is a Penn grad and works with the UN, i'm thinking about doing just that next time he's around.</p>
<p>does anyone else have experience with not so stellar teacher recs?</p>
<p>^It's not. I know in the business world at least, executives rarely actually WRITE former employees recommendations, they write them themselves and than the recommender will check it over, add/omit things, and then sign it.</p>
<p>I've also read of this suggestion in many college admissions books, I know a few top feeder schools where this is fairly common.</p>
<p>This is not the business world. This is the academia world. In my eyes, it's the same thing as plagiarism since you're basically saying that something is someone's writing when it is not. I definitely advise against something like ghost-writing.</p>