<p>...... well, is it?</p>
<p>some people say it's "frowned upon," but if that's the case, then i'm, er, very limited in my teachers because they all seem to hate me. </p>
<p>help!!!!</p>
<p>Yes, it generally is. Fresh/Soph teachers teach lower level classes and colleges want to see your ability in higher level classes. It depends on what college you're applying to as well - I'm guessing it would be <em>less</em> frowned upon at a lower tier college than at a top tier college. That is pure conjecture, by the way. Are you sure there isn't one teacher that will help you out at least?</p>
<p>well, as of now, i still have to apply to university of michigan, carleton, northwestern, and uw med scholars program (basically a program where you are automatically in to med school after college if you get into the program). and i have two teachers i think would be good from my junior/senior year, but i don't want to ask them to do 4 recs each! </p>
<p>plus sophomore year, i had an HONORS chemistry teacher i thought i'd ask.... does that count for anything? (plus for like uw med scholars, you need 3 recs..)</p>
<p>thanks for your help!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>In general, it's a bad idea. Colleges want to learn about your current academic performance, motivation and character.</p>
<p>... Why do you need to ask them for 16 recs?? Can't you reuse the recs?</p>
<p>Colleges don't expect teachers to write a different recommendation for each college that an individual student applies to. The teachers write one recommendation and then make copies of it. Even colleges that have recommendation check-off forms allow teachers to send letters instead of using their forms. Colleges aren't expecting teachers to individualize their recommendations for each college that a student applies to , but are expecting that students will individualize their applications.</p>
<p>Check with an admissions rep at each of those colleges. Last year my daughter checked and was able to use one of her sophomore teachers, but the teacher was also a club sponsor for a club in which my daughter was quite active.</p>
<p>A lot could depend on bringing an interesting slant to your app. We used the traditional senior recs and included an additional dupe from a freshman english teacher who was also an athletic coach. I figure the more a school knows about you the better off you are.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Yes, it generally is. Fresh/Soph teachers teach lower level classes and colleges want to see your ability in higher level classes. It depends on what college you're applying to as well - I'm guessing it would be <em>less</em> frowned upon at a lower tier college than at a top tier college. That is pure conjecture, by the way. Are you sure there isn't one teacher that will help you out at least?
[/quote]
Its not that good, but thats a crappy reason!</p>
<p>My son used a soph teacher coz that's when he took AP Bio (he's applying as a Bio/Neurosci major). He was the youngest in the AP class - he had obtained special permission to take the class - usually taken senior yr (after Honors Bio, Chem and Physics). But he wanted to use that class since he wants to major in Bio & he had the highest grade in his class and got a 5 on the AP exam that yr. But he used at least one 11th grade teacher (Eng or PreCalc) in addition. Senior yr teachers didn't know him for long since classes had barely begun when it was time to ask for recs.</p>
<p>Yes it's bad
jerzgrlmom has pointed out an exception--but remember exceptions don't make the rule, as a general sort of thing, keep to junior teachers</p>
<p>My D used a 10th grade teacher and 2 from her junior year. For those places who only asks for 1 recommendation, she's using the 10th grade teacher rec - it's the most well written - but, he's also her sports coach that she's being recruited for, so he's had her in that for 4 years. He incorporated her school work into her athletics.</p>
<p>I don't think it really matters, as long as the best light of you is shown the most.</p>
<p>I had my 10th grade Algebra 2 teacher write mine (Brown).</p>
<p>because i do think i have some 10th grade teachers who would write some really good recs, but everyone's (well, pretty much everyone's) telling me to get junior teachers. because my senior teachers don't know me that well yet. well, taht leaves me about 4 teachers (core teachers)..... and three didn't like me very much. </p>
<p>goody.</p>
<p>bumpity to the bump</p>
<p>i dont think it should matter; for example, im asking my ninth grade bio teacher to write me a rec. Suprisingly he remembers me very well even after the 3 year gap and will probably write detail rec. The only stigma against 9th/10th grade recs is that the teachers might have forgotten about you already. I had to choose my bio teacher because my ap chem teacher left last year.</p>
<p>bumping it for other opinions</p>
<p>I had my ninth grade science teacher write one of mine. I knew him best because I was also president of the science club he was in charge of but in my letter he said he was my freshman science teacher and I had no problems with it at all. He wrote a good letter and I think that's what matters most.</p>
<p>i used my freshman honors english teacher for a rec. i was supposed to be in her senior ap class, but my schedule got messed up, so i didn't end up in her class. however, i'm still having her write my rec because she can probably portray me in the best light and people have said she writes incredible letters.
so i don't know. i think the people writing your rec should be someone that knows you really well. after all, if you have a junior teacher who writes you a generic letter, it's kinda useless.</p>
<p>If you have one Jr. level teacher you think will write an okay rec, use them. Then, ask two lower level teachers who will write outstanding recs also. Unless specified you don't have to use Jr/Sr level teachers but it would be better if you could find at least one. Most colleges only ask for one or two recs but if you sent three, they usually won't have a problem with one extra rec. You just don't want to sent 7 or 8 cause that is definately overkill. So, pick two of the teachers who know you best and will write the strongest recs from any grade level and then add the best one Jr. teacher you can find, even if not as strong.</p>