<p>I was wondering, if anyone knows what their letters of rec say, how often would you guess that teachers check the top boxes? What kinds of things do teachers say about you? Is anyone lucky enough to get a lot of specific examples?</p>
<p>One of my teachers checked all the top boxes except for one. The letter was about how I remind him of himself when he was a student at Stanford, and then some more about how I am as a student etc.</p>
<p>-Ender</p>
<p>haha not me. I wanted to cry after seeing that one of my teachers pretty much copied my resume in to a letter format.</p>
<p>I have a pretty tight relationship with all the teachers and they let me read their recs, even asked me if I would add or take out anything. I think I got a few of the top boxes but nothing below the second box. One of my teachers talked about the general things I have accomplished and then my leadership skills, citing specific examples including an anecdote or two. The other talked about how my extracurricular competitions were at the end of my junior year, the toughest academic time, and how although I didn't handle it effortlessly (as in, I broke down crying and then slept in her class.. she didn't mention that though) it was the way I rebounded and got on track that showed maturity. Nothing that would make me stand out unfortunately, but it was all favorable.</p>
<p>One of my teachers checked all of the top boxes, but I feel like they'll discount that. She wrote me the best rec, something about how I was the best writer she'd seen in her 15 years of teaching. Ironically, she was my last choice to write me a rec. I didn't like her very much. Each of my other teachers had 3 in the 2nd box and I got a third box on one. (Ouch). Apparently, I lack self-confidence. I felt like my recs overall were ok. Nothing said about me that isn't going to be said about every other applicant. And teachers at my school aren't liberal with the checking, apparently. Do you think that hurts?</p>
<p>You got to add your input to teache recs???? Wow. I would never ask two of my teachers who are writing recs what they said. I do have a good sense of what they would say and how they would check off the boxes just from past interactions and teacher comments last year. The most any of my teachers have told me is "It's a good rec, don't worry" or "It's about a page, it's strong, I think it's a very good rec" or one teacher asked me to waive my right to see the rec saying that it has nothing to do with the quality of the letter which is "certainly not something I would complain about." I <em>could</em> ask the other teacher who wrote recs for some schools to see what he wrote, and after he sends them all in he'd probably let me read it. He brought it up at some point, saying that he'd let me read it but thinking about how I would react to reading it would alter what he'd say. He said that it really reflected what I'm like and that he's happy with the rec. How can colleges take the recs seriously if some students write their own recs and just have the teacher revise them? Or add their own input? It seems that that boarders on dishonesty (although not nearly as bad as sending in a fake rec that the teacher never oked). Does anyone else have a problem with this? It just bothers me.</p>
<p>No, I understand, but I don't think anything can be done about it. I have no imput in my recs, which is unfortunate, but some schools do it differently. I read them later, but that's it. I think recs will ultimately vary from school to school - some teachers will do anything to get their kids into schools like Stanford, where as others are more frank. I hope they know that.</p>
<p>thats not cool though. they are already breaking the honor code before attending. it states that the letters are to be mailed by the teachers...therefore the studenst should be allowed to see them.</p>
<p>I go to a competitive prep school... do you think they know that we don't get to read/influence the recs? Do you think that makes them more meaningful. I REALLY hope so. Also, I had my BC Calc teacher write me one of my recs who is a Stanford graduate (BA, MA, AND PhD, amazingly bright guy!) He's a harsh grader and I actually got my lowest grade in his class 1st semester, but did much better 2nd semester. Colleges (supposedly) all know that he grades harshly since year after year they've seen top students get lower grades in his class than in others (like a B/B+ instead of an A-/A). I wonder in particular with a teacher who isnt usually one to praise students that if he said I was one of the top students in his career if that would make a big difference... or do they just assume that all teachers will say that??? I REALLY hope they take my teacher recs seriously. If they don't, my chances have just dropped considerably.</p>
<p>Well, I was allowed to see my common app one. Not my Stanford one. And the guidance counselors let us see them, which I thought was a little sketchy myself. So don't judge me for it! I'm not a bad person! And yes, they'll know that about about competitive prep schools. I think they take all recs with a grain of salt. And I think yours will be awesome. They will know competitive prep school recs will be vastly different than average public school ones.</p>
<p>I don't think you're a bad person! So long as the teacher wrote the rec thinking that you wouldn't read it it's fine. It's the actually influencing what the teacher says that bothers me. I hope you're right about the recs! I think that my recs (if taken seriously) will probably be one of the strongest parts of my app. </p>
<p>Oh, and by the way, I would think that having teachers not just check off top in my career for everything would help you. If they say some things that are not overwhelmingly positive or admit you have flaws, it sounds MUCH more realistic and believable. Or if they do check off top in my career for everything (it could be true for some applicants!) then they really need to make the case that you are one of the top students they have ever taught.</p>
<p>Haha. Well, actually, they didn't write the recs thinking we'd read them, but when the gc's are like "hey, wanna see what xxx wrote about you," well, everyone did. It also bothers me if people are influencing their recs. It's like voting - we need national standards. And yes, good point on the checks. I think that with the kind of teachers writing your recs, you shouldn't worry. I wish I had that opportunity (alumni teachers!) I only have one from Duke and I didn't even get her to write my rec. (though she offered) because I'd already asked someone else.</p>
<p>okay, a teacher who wrote me one of my recs, also wrote for a bunch of other ppl applying to Stanford ( 2-3 EA) will that affect the way they look at my rec? btw "Gatekeepers" is interesting, though it is dated, the guy sat in 5 yrs ago-its gotten so much more competitive. <em>sigh</em> but it's worth a read.</p>
<p>Unfortunately I think one of my recs got all Top 10% instead of Top Few in Career, and it makes sense, since she only teaches AB and BC calculus, and has been teaching for 20+ years. So you'd have extraordinary to get top few of career. But maybe that's what stanford is looking for??!!!</p>
<p>I don't like how they have top few and then top 10%. There's a huge gap in between.</p>
<p>Hmm! I just looked. Stanford recs are vastly different in the common app. Oh good. That gives me something NEW to worry about. I wonder how I did. Ugh. Each day that passes, I worry more. I mean, my scores are lower than those of 75% of the people on this board (and that's just SAD) and I'm scratching my head over my recs, feel dissatisfied with my second essay, and feel my ecs are inadequate. Hmm. Good times.</p>
<p>My counselor wouldn't even do the form for me. She said she didn't know me!!!! and i got no ranking on paper, b/c my school doesn't rank, even though i rank top 5 in 300+ students. (but my average doesn't show)
my school is not known at all!!!!</p>
<p>At our school, you give these preliminary Rec. forms to 4 or 5 of your teachers, and then they give the completed forms to your counselor so that they have some info to go off of. </p>
<p>-Ender</p>
<p>I didn't ask my teachers to add anything or give input other than "that's fine, thanks!" because I didn't think that would be right. And if I did, they don't have to agree or sign to anything they don't want to. I understand that I did check and sign to not see it but I don't think that reading the rec, if the teacher asks you to, makes you a bad person or a crimanl. Also, as long as I did not change the actual rec in any way, I don't think it make a difference whether or not I see it right before she mails it, or if she prints me out a copy after she mails it.</p>
<p>I am applying for local scholarships and need recs for that. The teachers usually just print out another copy, sign it, and hand it to me to mail. Some teachers are more lenient about the rules than others. </p>
<p>In reply to the other part: I go to a large public school and guidance counselors aren't expected to know everyone personally. However, the ones applying to top schools are usually the ones that are most involved, have won awards, are continuously recognized, so those are the ones that they see most often. At my school, the guidance counselor sends 3 generic full page charts which includes stuff like academic motivation, self confidence, emotional maturity, etc. for teachers to fill out, and a space for written comments. This helps the guidance counselor have a better judge of who you are. Even so, students at small or private schools with one guidance counselor per twenty five students or so, certainly have the advantage.</p>