Hello fellow CC posters,
I was wondering which teachers are best to get letter of recs from for college admissions? I’ve heard a possibility of Math, Science, and English (although I assume it depends on your major). Is there a specific grade level that’s best for letter of recs?
Thanks,
CurryCow
Unless you are applying for art or some other special major, it is definitely more helpful to get a letter of rec from academic teachers. I wouldn’t suggest asking your senior year teachers since they’ve only had a couple of months to get to know your personality. You should be asking ones from junior year because they remember you the clearest (though if you’ve had classes for 1+ years with the same teacher, it should be fine). However, if you need a letter of rec to stay on a wait list, obviously you can go ahead and ask senior year teachers.
In my opinion, it’s always good to get letters of rec from 2 teachers in completely different academic areas–provided that you feel that they can really speak to your accomplishments. If, for example, you did really well in both math and English, getting recs from those teachers would demonstrate that you have a wide range of academic skills.
Do not overlook the critical GC recommendation that goes with the two (maybe 3) teacher recommendations. While the teachers address academic considerations, the GC can explain any broader circumstances that may have affected your high school career and provide an excellent voice of advocacy. So, if you do not know your GC, make the effort before summer to have a convo. My son had a wonderful teacher his freshman year and she was his AP English teacher this fall as he entered 12th grade. She thinks he’s a terrific student and would have liked to write the rec, but she told him that in no uncertain terms his junior year teachers carried greater weight since she could not comment on the two years of school that mattered most (sophomore and junior year). Furthermore, since he was applying as an economics major, he could have chosen math and English or Social Studies teachers, but ended up with English and SS because of the strong performance his junior year. Also if you school has you prepare “Brag” sheets or packets, get them done this summer so you can give your teachers plenty of time to write the letters. My son did some EA applications, so the packets were due to the teachers REALLY early on, but my hunch is he got much more thoughtful letters because they had about 1.5 months to write his letters. Your teachers are writing for so many students, so be respectful of their guidelines to you. This includes envelopes and stamps if your school still is not doing everything electronically (or you apply to Georgetown, which is in the Dark Ages with its process). Write thank you letters at a minimum and if you can afford it, a little TY gift to your counselor and teachers. Based on the excellent universities to which he got accepted, I have to believe that in the holistic application process, those letters helped him a great deal.
Academic teachers only (math, English, Science, Social Science, Foreign language) from your junior year (2) and counselor rec (1) is standard. Find out your school’s process and follow it. Always thank those who wrote a rec on your behalf.
Does it really make a difference if you pick teachers from completely different fields versus teachers from similar fields (such as SS and English)?
Also, would it be better for a teacher who can speak more for your academic strength or more for your personality?
I was wondering the same as aurelie.
Like what if I wanted to pick a sophmore teacher?
Or if I wanted to pick one bio and one math teacher?
is it necessary the teacher who writes my LOR has to be an academic teacher? like i’ve been working under the English HOD for the past three years for my school magazine but she doesnt teach me. could i get an LOR from her?or would it seem awkward not to get it from my own teacher?
I think that’s fine.
For my recommendations, I asked my junior year English teacher and my sophomore year Modern World teacher, who I will also be taking a class with this upcoming year (i’m a rising senior). I only asked her because she knows me the best out of any teacher i’ve ever had and I feel that she can speak about me as both a student and a person. If you don’t feel that way about your sophomore teacher, I wouldn’t ask her.
A teacher who can speak for both is a must. It’s great if a teacher can talk about what a stellar student you are academically, but if they don’t talk about how you can contribute to the college campus atmosphere, then admissions is left to wonder. And leaving them to wonder is not a good thing. They might think you just asked a random teacher or you didn’t leave a strong impression on the teacher, ergo you are boring.
I think that’s fine as well. I would really only recommend it if you’re planning on majoring in a STEM degree.
To me that’s not weird, but I think asking that teacher would be best if you are interested in studying something in college that involves a magazine. For example, my friend asked her chorus teacher who she’s had for all of HS for a recommendation because she wants to major in music therapy and is a very musically-oriented person. So if your magazine advisor is relevant to what you want to do in college, i’d ask her; otherwise, try to stick to your junior teachers.
I…guess that was a little late of me to post, but hopefully this will help people. Picking which teachers to ask for recommendations was tough, but I went with teachers that were a little unorthodox in terms of what my GC was thinking, but i’m glad I asked the teachers I did. Overall, sometimes it’s worth throwing ‘traditional’ rules out the window if you think the teacher you have in mind is going to write you a fantastic letter. I just had that feeling when I approached my teachers.