Is a soph teacher's rec = jr teacher's rec?

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm wondering how top colleges would view it if a student chose a teacher from a soph class (precalc BC) over a teacher from a junior class (BC Calc). Grades in both were As, 5 on AP exam but soph teacher knew student a lot better. What do you think?</p>

2

<p>It does not really matter.</p>

3

<p>I ask because I heard differing advice from two guidance counselors. When I did a search, I saw Yale asks specifically for a teacher from 11th or 12th grade but the schools that the student is applying to don’t give any recommendations about who whould write the letters.</p>

4

<p>What matters is the depth, knowledge (of you and your work), and sincerity of the teacher’s recommendation. When the teacher knows you and your works well so as to be able to give deep examples/anecdotes supporting the recommendation you benefit most. The details of whether she first got to know you in sophomore year or junior year should not make much difference in your situation.</p>

5

<p>In my opinion, there’s a major difference between sophomore-year teacher’s recommendation letter and a junior year teacher’s recommendation.</p>

<p>Teachers have a lot of names and faces to remember. They have limits to their memory. That means that sophomore year teachers may not write the best recommendation letter for you, because they may forget some key details about you that could be the “make or break it” deal.</p>

<p>Its best to ask junior year teachers to write you rec letters, because they’ll still know you at the time that you hand them rec letter materials and ask them to write a letter for you. Everything you did, your characteristics, and so forth, it will still be fresh in their minds. Now think about this: Would you rather have a letter of recommendation written by a teacher that knows you well - even after you haven’t talked to them for a few months - or have a teacher that may struggle to remember you since you last had contact with them a year or so ago?</p>

<p>UNLESS your sophomore teacher knows you really well for a few years and still know who you are, your performance in the class, etc, my advice is to go for junior year teachers and ask them for recs; it’ll be more beneficial for you.</p>