<p>For the vast majority of colleges, rec letters matter little – aren’t even a part of the evaluation. For the very selective ones, it is one of the few items that can really distinguish you or leave you in the “forgettable” pile (i.e. rejected). Your teacher’s experience at BC is extremely narrow and he ought not to imply that his scenario is applicable to every situation out there.</p>
<p>Have a read for how much MIT values its rec letters:
[MIT</a> Admissions | Info For Schools & Counselors: Writing Evaluations](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/topics/schools/writing_evaluations/index.shtml]MIT”>http://mitadmissions.org/topics/schools/writing_evaluations/index.shtml)</p>