<p>I'm on good terms with most of my teachers, but I don't know exactly how to approach my teachers asking them for recs. What's a good way to ask if they'd be willing to write one without making them feel pressured? And should I ask them to focus on certain characteristics of my personality?</p>
<p>Ask ahead of time. Say, "In the future, would you feel comfortable writing a positive academic reccomendation for me?"</p>
<p>Then, give them four weeks notice when you actually need it.</p>
<p>If you stress any key activities or traits, it'd help for them to stress those traits or activities as well.</p>
<p>Sometimes teachers will tell you that they will write one for you. You just ask one of your favorite teachers and I bet they will be happy to do it for you. I was good terms with all my teachers as well and i just pick the one who knows me the best</p>
<p>The key is tact. Don't just go up to him/her and ask for a rec straight up. For about a week, talk to kids around your teacher about colleges and constantly ask your teacher for advice; ask things ilke based on your own personality, where you think would be a good fit/if your teacher had a good experience at their school etc. Once you get your teacher involved on your college search, bring a gift and ask him/her. </p>
<p>And if you say you are shy around your teacher then really, you shouldnt ask your teacher for a rec. This should be a person you interact with constantly so they know your personality and waht you can bring to a school.</p>
<p>This is how I would ask one of my favorite teachers</p>
<p>Hey____________,
Would you mind writing a college recommendation letter for me?</p>
<p>I guess its different for every person, but I am really comfortable around most of my teachers, so it would be pretty casual.</p>
<p>Just say what chocolatelover 03 wrote. Strangely, I asked almost exact same question to my teacher for a rec. Teachers will only agree to write a rec for you only if they have some positive things to write about you (at least that's what my math teacher told me).</p>
<p>Thats an awful lot of politicking and brown nosing just to get a recommendation flong.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice! I'll just ask casually then; I'm definitely not shy around my teachers. The gift idea seems more like a bribe though.</p>
<p>Just ask them. If they like you, then they will be more than willing to help you.</p>
<p>Just ask directly. Chances are you aren't the first and won't be the last to do so, so it isn't much of a ritual.</p>
<p>I guess its different experience for each person. I and many of my peers asked a few teachers who were known to write good recs (since many teachers just use copies of their old recs and switch out the name) so it did require more coaxing and manipulation esp since I go tto a school with 4000 kids and the teachers at my school are known to say no. The key is figure out if A) your teacher really writes their own recs and B) if they can really say something about you and your personality and waht you can bring to the school. The Teacher rec can be the tie breaker in your admission so make sure its a teacher who knows you well and not some teacher you think will write you a good one because you have an A in the class</p>
<p>I recently had this conversation with one of my teachers who is the College Admissions Queen and is trained by NACAC. Apparently, teachers are ONLY supposed to say good things about a person in a college rec. She said that there is "code" and that if a teacher needs to communicate a point (i.e. you aren't a good student) they will write, "please call if there are any further comments." Some teachers say no, but it is probably for your own good.</p>
<p>There are many different ways to go about doing it. At your school, have most of your classmates already asked? If so, you can mention something like, "If you haven't already had too many students request it, would you be willing to writing me a recommendation?" If people haven't really started asking yet, you can simply say, "Would you be willing to write me a recommendation for colleges this fall?" Simple, but effective. :)</p>
<p>Be careful about using the word consider. That leaves the response open to "yes" but with the intent of getting back to you later. As far as what you want them to focus on, you shold definitely give them an organized, detailed layout of what you have accomplished over your high school years, broken up into sections (mine is EC, athletics, summer experiences, awards, and community). At the bottom of mine, I added a few things about myself: my favourite verse, what I feel my strengths and weaknesses are, a couple other details.</p>
<p>The only situation I would actually ask them to focus on something would be if someone from a college has told me personally to have it focused on. The teachers probably know the colleges and know what they want, but if an admissions officer from a school has specifically told you something to focus on, I would note it to your teacher, in writing. For example, I had an interview where my interviewer told me to focus on one aspect of my community service in particular to increase my chances of a scholarship. I noted that next to the school's name on my list of schools.</p>
<p>What I have been told my my admission counselor is the opposite of the "good things only" advice. When the colleges get a letter that says only good things, they don't think the student is an only good student- there is no such thing. They think that the teacher is only writing the good things. If the colleges get a rec with positive and negative aspects of someone's character, they know that the teacher is (in all liklihood) being honest. If they are willing to share the bad stuff bluntly, they are probably sharing the good stuff bluntly.</p>
<p>Wow, it's not like you're asking the teacher to marry you, just go up and ask her (him).</p>
<p>
[quote]
skyhawkk08 writes: I recently had this conversation with one of my teachers who is the College Admissions Queen and is trained by NACAC. Apparently, teachers are ONLY supposed to say good things about a person in a college rec. She said that there is "code" and that if a teacher needs to communicate a point (i.e. you aren't a good student) they will write, "please call if there are any further comments."
[/quote]
Unfortunately that is not necessarily what teachers are going to do. jbruner17 is right, you need to ask the teacher if they could write a positive letter for you. There are code words such as skyhawkk08 gave which mean "I have something to say but I'm not putting it in writing"; also there is an attack called "damning with faint praise". Look up that phrase (including the quotes) on google and you'll see examples. But if you sign the waiver there is nothing stopping a teacher who dislikes you from unloading on you.</p>
<p>If you could ask every teacher you ever had for their opinion, for most students the result would be mixed bag. And sometimes a teacher you assume would like a kid (due to a high grade, for example) sees things differently. There is no shame or dishonor in deliberately selecting those who hold a favorable opinion to write a rec.</p>
<p>While it can be uncomfortable for a student to ask a direct question like this to a teacher, it HAS to be done. I know someone who was on the alumni scholarship committee for a well-known U and they regularly received letters of "rec" for the full-tuition scholarship that raked the kid over the coals. The book "The Gatekeepers" (in which NY Times reporter followed the admissions committee at Wesleyan for a year) has a real-world example of a bad rec.
[quote]
There were times, I must admit,that I thought Tiffany might have taken a stronger interest in mastering the material in our course. When I saw that Tiffany was a National Merit Semi-Finalist I was a bit surprised. While clearly bright and competent, I had seen in Tiffany neither an exceptional skill for testing nor a particular affinity for the subject.
[/quote]
This could have been avoided if the teacher had been asked if they would write a strong rec. The student did not get in.</p>
<p>Here are some basic rec tips:
1) Just ask, "Would you be willing to write a recommendation for me?" Short, sweet and to the point is best.
2) Ask well ahead of time. Give teachers AT LEAST a month, if not more considering the number of recs they are probably writing if they are a popular teacher.
3) Be prepared. Have all of the recommendation forms for every school you are applying to filled out. Have stamped, addressed envelopes.
4) Help them out. Give them a resume and a cover letter detailing why you are grateful they specifically agreed to write you a recommendation (mention some anecdotes from their class to jog their memory). Put all of this in a manila folder and have it with you when you ask.
5) Check up on them about two weeks prior to the due date: "Hey Mr/Ms. ________, Just wanted to remind you that recommendations are due in two weeks! Thanks again for writing them."
6) After the due date has passed, thank the teacher with a gift (homemade bread, gift certificate to a restaurant, etc.). Some people wait until after they get in to get something specific to the school they selected (a mug or something from the school store), but my philosophy was that if you thank them after it kinda seems like you weren't going to thank them if you hadn't gotten in.</p>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>
<p>I always what happens when the math and science teachers who's writing skills are not on par with english teachers write recommendations that are less than stellar.</p>
<p>You forget that the adcom has seen everything. They know that an English teacher's rec is going to be written in better language than a math/science teacher's rec. Regardless, they are looking to see if the teacher can vouch for your academic achievements and give additional insight into you as a student. A letter from a math/science teacher can achieve that even if the grammar might not be perfect.</p>