I gave my counselor all my recommendation forms. I’m still not entirely sure whether I am applying to all of those schools. If they get my recommendation, will I have to pay application fees?
<p>If you intend to apply, you have to pay the app fee...</p>
<p>I don't think they'll force you to pay it if you just send in a reco though.</p>
<p>Don't you think it's rude to ask your counselor to fill out forms if you aren't sure that you will apply? </p>
<p>No, you don't have to pay the fee until you send in your application. However, I think that in most cases, the only thing that comes in early are scores.</p>
<p>I don't think its rude to the guidance counselors. If you submit 20 thats one thing. If you submit 8 and decide to only choose 7 schools, i think thats permissable, that happens. You only need to pay a fee if you want them to consider your application.</p>
<p>They only open a file on you when you pay the ap fee. So any papers that come in are basically ignored until then.</p>
<p>They're not going to make you pay. You can send everything in, and it just won't get processed until they get your money :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses.</p>
<p>Well, I had about ten schools that I wanted recommendations for. Most of those schools use the Common App, and those that don't--well, I've just cut them. Also upon seeing what some of the schools wanted from me, and reevaluating whether it was even worth applying, I've cut five schools off, leaving five common app schools (in addition to the eight publics I already applied to). And I just emailed her about it.</p>
<p>Northstarmom, my teachers and counselor required me to give their all the rec forms for the schools I would POSSIBLY apply to. They wanted to get all 16 POTENTIAL schools done before winter break even though I only applied to one school, my ED school (accepted).</p>
<p>Smazn,
Thanks for the explanation.</p>
<p>I am amazed at their policy. Your GCs and teachers must not have enormous class loads. At S's h.s., the G.C. does not write reccs until students turn in their completed applications to her. Most teachers have the same policy. I had the same policy when I was a college prof after being burned by too many students who said they were applying for opportunities, but never followed through despite my spending my time writing recommendations for them.</p>
<p>It makes sense only if the teachers and GC are using one rec per student and slapping a different school's address on it, ie not tailoring a rec for an individual school. Personally I would be very annoyed if I wrote a nice rec for a student who then didn't even apply to the school!! It's bad enough when you write for a kid, he gets accepted and then doesn't go to that school... but I try not to hold it against them! :) (My wife and I have written recs for kids applying to schools that we attended)</p>