<p>So one of my teacher's who I think likes me is writing me a LoR, and I stayed after school to discuss it with him. I filled out a questionnaire and we were talking to each other about it, when I started talking about how the colleges I liked provided independent research/internship opportunities, which I liked (and appealed to me somewhat because I can consider myself an independent learner at times).</p>
<p>He was like "oh! I'll definitely emphasize that then" and typed a little note for himself in the letter.</p>
<p>I don't want a whole letter about how I'm independent, because there is so much else I'd like for him to say about me I don't want adcoms to read this letter and think that with so much emphasis on independence that I'm not a collaborative learner/person. On the other hand, I didn't say anything at the time and I don't think e-mailing him about it would be a good idea because he was talking about how he was very busy, etc. and I don't want to heckle him.</p>
<p>Would it be worth it to shoot him an email and clarify that I didn't want emphasis on that? Or would that just frustrate him too much, as if I'm micromanaging the letter?</p>
<p>Hm, I already typed the email but didn’t send it (disguised as a confirmation of the deadline and discussing logistics for an after school club that he is the advisor for and I’m in charge of)</p>
<p>Is that fine? The LoR clarification is two sentences</p>
<p>Don’t send it. I think it’s pretty presumptuous to tell a teacher how to write a recommendation. They do them all the time, and he probably seized upon the independent learner concept because it was a way distinguish your letter from the generic ones he usually ends up writing. Note he said he would emphasize that point, not write about it exclusively. It’s pretty unusual for a teacher to actually sit down and discuss an LOR before writing it. Sounds like he takes the job very seriously. You should trust him to do it well.</p>
<p>Do not hit the send button, and don’t think too much into the conversation. Unless you have not waived your rights to see the LOR (which I wouldn’t recommend), let your teacher write what he feels is appropriate. If he really thinks you are a great student, he will find a way to convey the message.</p>
<p>It’s a tad bit old but I sent it before reading the three messages. It wasn’t an email solely to clarify, it was an email thanking him for meeting with me among other things, with a sentence stuck in there about that clarification. We’ve been working together for 4 years now so I hope being a little annoying with the letter doesn’t make or break it :</p>
<p>He’s a great teacher, but the type to really take a student’s perspective on the LoR – I didn’t want to use my best LoR on a faulty perspective.</p>