thank you!
If youâre applying to multiple colleges, how do you get all of the recommendations to all of them? I mean, I canât go and ask the same teacher for like twelve different ones!
You donât need 12 different ones. One should suffice for all the colleges.
In general, I would suggest getting 3-4 recommendations from your teachers, but only sending colleges 2. It gives you flexibility.
Just wondering: Do teachers photocopy recâs so that you can send the same two to every college that you apply to? Or, do you have to do it yourself? Also, do teachers give the recâs to the counselor or do they give them to you?
^Many will upload their rec once to the Common App. If you have non-Common App schools, theyâll send those recs online as well or by snail mail.
(Current junior.)
Would it be better to get a rec from a junior year teacher that seems to dislike me or a sophomore year teacher that approves of me? My science teacher this year is retiring (and he apparently wonât do any college recs for our class) and my math teacher this year doesnât seem to like me much at all, so I basically only have sophomore year teachers as choices for the math/science teacher rec. (MIT and Harvey Mudd require this rec; Caltech does as well, but Iâm not sure if Iâll apply there.)
Thanks glassesarechic. Cool username, by the way. 
@energize: Itâs much better to get teachers that know you, and preferably, likes you (doesnât have to be, but I guess it works toward your advantage). Take a look at this website if you have any questions regarding recâs: [Teacher</a> Evaluations Not Just âAnother Asianâ](<a href=âhttp://asianameducation.â â â â â â â â â â â â â /category/admissions-application-advice/recommendation-letters/teacher-evaluations/]Teacherâ>Teacher Evaluations | Not Just "Another Asian"). The author sums up all the requirements pretty well.
Does anyone have experience with getting good recommendations despite being a jackass in school?
Do you think that a teacher would ever say âthis student often disrupts class blah blah blahâ in a letter of recommendation?
Despite being a good student, I probably have 1 teacher who would straight up refuse to write a recommendation for me and others who donât have very many nice things to say.
I guess what I am asking is, are teachers willing to exaggerate in letters of recommendation?
Iâm half expecting to get letters saying âHiimcole does well on every test, turns in all homework that is due, but does not try to be involved or go the extra mile. He often distracts the class by making unnecessary jokes and being sarcastic.â
^I have an opposite, but strangely similar problem. I usually just donât participate in class (struggling to stay awake in first period APUSH) and talk to my friends or study when possible. My classes arenât very interesting, and the majority of my teachers are mediocre at best (occasionally unreasonable).
So it would be nice to hear experience with problems like these.
Hiimcole and energize: If youâre each looking for LORs that will make a difference in very selective college admissions, you may be waiting a long time. Frankly, the very select colleges are looking for students who are opinion leaders and engaged with the classrooms positively â who show extraodinary academic as well as social growth, potential and hunger.
Now this isnât to say that both of you wonât have successful collegiate careers â but the type of LORs that will be needed to selective college admissions â would be difficult to imagine being given to either of you, if Iâm frank.
Hey, I got to see the rec letter from my teacher? Is it affect the value of the letter in anyway
It depends on if you checked the box to waive your right to see the rec. If you checked it off to waive your right and your teacher still showed it to you, then it might not affect the value of the rec in that colleges will most likely believe that the rec is truthful.
when should i ask my teacher for a rec? this week (the last week of school), or wait till fall (ill have her next year as well)?
@liv4physicz - This week. The sooner the better.
Can I get a recommendation paper from someone who is NOT my teacher? he and I are close and he is the headmaster of middle school in my private boarding school. since Iâm in a small school, I know all the teachers and close to them all.
^Maybe as a supplemental rec if you really feel that it would significantly contribute to your app, but Iâm pretty sure most of the colleges will want a rec from a teacher who has taught you in an academic subject, because they want to know what youâre like in the classroom.
I have a recommendation questionâŠnot sure if it will be answered here, but worth a try.
Rec. 1: Newspaper adviser, loves me, teacher soph year, probably lead my ind. study next year. Should be great.
Rec. 2, I have two choices. 1: Geometry teacher I had in 9th grade. Liked me then, I did well, and she wanted me to tutor some of her students, and I have. I donât think sheâll have very many recs to write.
2: Pre-calc teacher this year. I do well in class, but donât always hand in the hw (itâs not actually a grade, and I honestly donât need to do it all. I understand the material).
Should I ask my pre-calc teacher simply based on the fact that I had him junior year?
^do you participate in class in pre-calc, and does he know you fairly well?
Well there arenât many chances to actively participate, but i think I am definitely in the more active half of the class. Iâll probably ask him for it, and if he hesitates, Iâll ask someone else. Good plan?
Could someone help me understand this?
Iâm a junior right now, and Iâve asked my teachers for recs, and they agreed. The problem is, theyâre not that familiar with the Common App, and neither am I, to be honest.
When I went on the Common App website, it wonât let me add schools because âthe deadline for ______ College has already passedâ (thatâs for seniors, thoughâŠ), and when I downloaded the teacher rec forms off the website it says âFor Spring/Fall 2011 Applicantsâ.
So I want to ask my teachers in September, only I probably wonât get them again as a senior, and Iâm scared theyâll forget about me. Suggestions? Thank you!