What information should we provide the teachers we ask?
How do we know when the deadline is? Is the deadline for teacher recs the deadline date of the college application?
Ok so basically,you
1.Download the Eval forms
2.Fill in the top part? (Print it out and fill it by pen? or fill it on the comp?)
3.Print the Eval forms
4.Give them to the required no of teachers along with your Resume,cover letter,stamped/addressed envelope (how many envelopes do we give to one teacher? Iām applying to 10 colleges.So do I give each teacher 10 envelopes stamped with that specific collegeās address?)
Hi there, my first post on CC.
Iād to clarify a major doubt about the admissions process that i have.
On the CommonApp as well as other independent online applications of other unis (UMICH) it allows you to provide the email to your recommender (counsellor and teacher) online and then after that you get notified via email when they submit it. However, on another part of the application it says that i need to print out some forms (CommonApp and U-M) to give to my teachers/counsellor and provide them with the envelopes, mailing address, stamps etc.
My question is: is it the same thing? Just a matter of choice between online submission or snail mail? That means if i already have teachers who have submitted their recommendations online with a notification email telling me so, then i donāt have to worry about all the printing these forms and providing envelopes, stamps etc business?
PLEASE clarify my misconceptions!! Thanks in advance.
EDIT: like what ishi92 above me said about downloading Evaluation forms, filling it out and giving it to teachers. Is it the same as me submitting their email addresses for them to complete online? Or is it something different
Yes, you only need one or the other.
Need opinions on this one: would it be good to get instead of two recs from profs, one from a prof and one from the headmaster of the school? Or maybe I should get two from profs and plus one from headmaster? Is it even a good idea to have a rec from the headmaster or should I just stick to profs only?
My teachers just sent out their letter of recs for me this week.
When do I write them thank you notes? I know I need to after I find out what schools I get to in the Spring but I feel like I should by the end of this week too. If I do, what do I say besides a āthank youā since there is nothing to keep them posted on.
You could just say thank you since they did help you out and write you a rec and mention somewhere in the letter that youāll make sure to let them know the outcome of your efforts. Because I think waiting to thank them until the spring is too long, its better to thank them as soon as theyāve written the recs for you.
Hey guys, Iām an international student.
I donāt think my teachers are used to writing recommendations for universities because itās not needed for the universities in my country.
Do you guys think itās better for me to first send an email asking them whether they would want to be my reference for U.S. universities before asking them face to face and handing them the recommendation forms?
I always think itās better to ask for things in person. But thatās a little old schoolā¦maybe just how I am
I have to agree with jamest629. I asked my professors and the headmaster and everyone else who wrote me a rec in person, and I think it was just better than emailing them about it. Especially with being international, I totally know what it means that the professors arenāt used to writing recs for uni, so it really helps for you to explain to them face to face exactly what it is you need.
Late reply butā¦
1). Ask them with plenty of time ahead. Two weeks is too short, trust me. I wouldnāt suggest asking late unless you knew the teacher well enough so he or she would not get angry with the short time.
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Give them an addressed envelope to wherever you are applying with a stamp. If you need it all together (because some universities require it), make sure you stress that to them.
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Give them your recommendation form, of course!
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Give them a sheet of directions! Print off a sheet of some kind of instructions about teacher recommendations. Most colleges have certain rules about recommendations they have printed on their site that would be a good idea to print, and they will repeat the date, which I suggest highlighting. What I did was create my own sheet of rules, nothing big. I just had a sheet with bullets on it: the date, what exactly the letter was for, what the school was for, what they exactly needed to do for this recommendation (as in, fill out a form or write a true letter), and my major. Very short and very helpful they told me - I highlighted the date it was due for them.
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Include your resume. All of my teachers asked for it and I had it prepared. I would include ACT score somewhere as well. (One of my own teachers asked for it and I scribbled it on the page quickly for him).
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Remind them. Donāt seem overbearing about it, but your teachers are human. If you are turning in a recommendation during finals, it will be all too easy for a teacher to forget them. Donāt sweat this! I just asked my teachers casually how it was coming, and it was a good thing I did! One of them almost forgot because he had several more to do and finals to create.
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Always say thank you!
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When itās all said and done, give them a thank-you card. They appreciate it, trust me.
^I gave mine a $10 gift card. Donāt know if he appreciated it. He said, āYou donāt really have to do this.ā It came to the point where I just said, āBut itās common courtesy!ā
But give AFTER he has finished writing your rec. If you do it before, it would seem like youāre paying him off.
I have a really good rec from a connection I made. A really amazing connection (someone who went to Yale, loved it, donates, and has an extremely prestigious job) that I made through my teacher. I love the teacher but I donāt know where either of us will be by the time I do my recs in senior year, because Iām a Sophmore. Is it silly/in any way possible to ask her now? I donāt want the person to forget me/not know what to say/change their mind in two years time. I also have a good rec from another non-school person who I donāt know if Iāll be able to contact laterā¦ silly to ask now?
& How would I go about getting a non-school rec? I downloaded the app for Yale off the website and it says nothing about non-school recās.
you dont need to ask two years in advanceā¦
just do it senior year. if shes not there or whatever, get someone else. if she is still working at your school, you can still have a relationship with her right now up until senior year even if you are not in her classes. it has to come from both ways.
non school recs: just go up to the person (work boss, volunteer boss, etc) and ask them like how you would with a teacher. itās no different.
Ask about a month early.
I had to get my U of M app in by October 31st for early response, so I gave my paper work to my teachers and counselors in the middle of November.
This accomplishes 2 things:
A) Well most importantly it gives the teacher ample time to write you a great recommendation.
B) This also helps you make sure that your teacher actually sent the letter. If 2-3 weeks go by and your teacher hasnāt sent the letter you would still have a couple weeks to remind them. My friendās counselor sent his U of M recommendation letters on November 1st, 1 day too late for early response.
Now he has to wait until April to hear a response.
I have been a procrastinator, but when it comes to college apps get things rolling fast. First off it will take a lot of stress off your shoulders and secondly, it will make your acceptance chances go way up.
I know I could just ask in two years, but I really want these two non-school recs and I donāt know if Iāll be able to contact the person at that time. My former teacher (6-8th grade) who knows me and whom I love. I know that she would write me an amazing rec, but my former school is going through some administration changes and Iām not sure if sheāll be working there in two years. Her rec is really important to me, because Iām writing my essay about how she changed my life. Sheās really important to me, but I donāt know how Iād contact her if she no longer worked there. The other rec is a really important non-school person. Iād really like to have his rec, but I met him through my teacher. I hope to switch schools next year ā¦ so, itād be awkward to ask my former teacher at my former school to ask her family member to write me a rec, no? I love her and all, but still ā¦
Is there a specific form for the non-school recs?
Great. One of my scholarships require a letter of rec and itās due in 2.5 weeks! ;~; I didnāt know about this scholarship soonerā¦but I donāt want to miss this chance.
QUESTION:
For local scholarships, the recommendation form is just a brief checkmarking and commenting form (I guess teachers CAN attach an extra letter, but most wouldnāt since it doesnāt require it). should I include a resume with that too?
Hi, I am currently a high school junior and I really want to go to art school. I am planning on asking my math teacher for a recommendation letter. I had him for freshman year and sophomore year. Freshman year was awful and I almost failed his class. But then sophomore year, I worked really hard and got good grades and he really commended me on my improvement. My other choice for a recommendation is from a teacher whose class I have consistently done average to good in. Whatās better? Big improvementā¦or consistency?? Please respond soon as I will need to ask one of them tomorrow for a letter.
I have a niece who is now at Harvard who asked to see all her teacher recs before they were sent in. What is the protocol on this? I asked about it at a college advice night at school and the answer was that teachers would feel constrained in what they write if they know you are going to see it and that the accepted approach is that you do not get to see the letters. My nieceās perspective was āwhy would I not review something as important as that before it gets sent in?ā