<p>I'm curious about your thoughts on this. The teacher our junior was planning to ask was just asked by another student to write a letter of recommdation for the same school. They have similar stats and this teacher knows them from classes and EC's they have been involved with. The school they are applying to is small, out of state and they would be seen by the same admissions counselor. What would you do - ask the same teacher who you thought would write a good letter or rethink and find someone else?</p>
<p>Ask the same person. If the teacher knows both kids well, he/she should be able to write individualized letters for each. They’re not the same kid; if the teacher agrees, they won’t get the same letter.</p>
<p>What if they do end up sounding too similar or what if one ends up being stronger than the other. Its possible that these two kids end up being the only 2 (obviously there could be more) that apply from this high school. Wouldn’t having the same teacher seem strange? Regionally they will go to the same admissions counselor for the first review. Would it make sense to ask the teacher what they think? I’m leaning towards finding a different person but not quite ready to give up the first choice person…</p>
<p>By all means, ask the teacher if he/she believes that he/she can make the letters “different enough.” The fact that both have letters from the same teacher is not in any way strange. It’s not unusual that a particular teacher “clicks” with multiple students, or that multiple students apply to the same school. In your situation, it’s less unusual since the teacher is involved with the same EC that both students do. The fact that both students participate in the same EC also shows that there’s some commonality between them.</p>
<p>I also assume that the students will also have at least one other recommendation that’s not the same.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about it. I don’t think that the letter carries enough weight to be concerned that they sound “too similar.”</p>
<p>Then you pay your money and you take your choice. No one can tell you, “Yes, this will make a difference” or “No, it won’t.” And they can’t tell you if that were the deciding factor even after the fact. It’s all guesswork. Do what you feel most comfortable doing, and don’t second guess it.</p>