<p>i'm so lost with the procedure of writing rec letters..</p>
<p>basically..i give my teachers with an envelope that has the school's admission office address and stamp?</p>
<p>so for say USC..</p>
<p>i put USC's admission office address first...
i put stamps
i hand out the envelope to my teacher?</p>
<p>also...do i apply first and then ask for rec letter or ask for rec letter first then apply?</p>
<p>Yes. Also remember the teacher rec form. And, you do not have to send in your application first, before the recs.</p>
<p>When USC gets your teacher rec, or whatever gets there first, they will open a file on you and place the item in it--assuming that you will apply.</p>
<p>IsleBoy is right.<br>
Most of my recs went in earlier than my application. There was no problem. Now I am waiting for the results....</p>
<p>cool..</p>
<p>thanks guys</p>
<p>OP, since it sounds like you're unfamilar with the process let me add some more advice. It is very important to ask a prospective evaluator whether they can write a positive letter for you. This is always appropriate, phrased politely of course. EVERY student should do this when asking for letters of rec. For example, "Am I a student you would write a strong letter of reccomendation for, or do you suggest I ask someone else?" Don't argue or question why if the answer is ask someone else, simply to thank the teacher for their honest answer.</p>
<p>If you asked every teacher you ever had for their opinion of you, there is probably one or two that was just rubbed the wrong way. And sometimes a teacher you assume would like a kid (due to a high grade, for example) sees things differently. There is no shame or dishonor in deliberately selecting those who hold a favorable opinion to write a rec.</p>
<p>While it can be uncomfortable for a student to ask a direct question like this to a teacher, it needs to be done. I know someone who was on the alumini scholarship committee for a well-known U and they regularly received letters of "rec" for the full-tuition scholarship that raked the applicant over the coals. In the book "The Gatekeepers" in which a reporter for the NY Times followed the admissions committee at Wesleyan (a top LAC) for a year is a real-world example of a bad rec.
[quote]
There were times, I must admit,that I thought Tiffany might have taken a stronger interest in mastering the material in our course. When I saw that Tiffany was a National Merit Semi-Finalist I was a bit surprised. While clearly bright and competent, I had seen in Tiffany neither an exceptional skill for testing nor a particular affinity for the subject.
[/quote]
This could have been avoided if the teacher had been asked if they would write a strong rec. The student did not get in.</p>