<p>I notice that USC Admissions Office encourages students to mail in their application materials in one package at the same time. Does this mean I could ask their teachers/counselors to give the completed letters of recommendation to me and I would mail them with the rest of my application?</p>
<p>The recommendations should be sent separately. Admissions prefers the letters be sealed by the writer and not read by the students. This gives the letters more credence.</p>
<p>^Ah, I see. But how do they know if the writer sealed them? </p>
<p>One of the problems is that I have 3 teachers I think could write good recommendations but I’d prefer to read them first to see if they are different enough from each other to send–and if not, I’d pick the best 1 or 2. Any advice? :)</p>
<p>Admissions has the expectation of the code of honor followed by all reputable teachers and counselors. The letter is mailed by the recommender with their school’s return address. Most counselors and teachers will “seal” the letter with a stamp or their signature. Of course some will not follow this but that would be dishonest and those students will be caught sometime in their lives. :)</p>
<p>If all could read and pick their best recommendations, then there would be no point in a school asking for them. Take a leap of faith and do what you think is best.</p>
<p>Well, yeah, but how do you know how many recommendations to send, then? They advise to send more than 1 only if there is something unique said about you, right? :-/ I don’t want to send recs that are repetitive.</p>
<p>Oh, well. I guess I’ll just have to hope that they are different enough. Also, do you know if it’s better to have teachers from two different subjects send recs? The two teachers I think would do the best are both English teachers, but would getting two from the same subject be a bad idea?</p>
<p>Thanks for all your info, by the way. :)</p>
<p>Eiffel, do you have a good relationship with your GC? If so, perhaps you might ask him/her about this. Often, they know which teachers write the best (least generic?) letters and can advise you which teacher to ask/send. And two from the same subject is less desirable than from 2 diff subjects. At USC, you are only asked to send one letter, so if you don’t have two very different letters (covering you at work and at school, say, or at math and at an EC or community service), then send one.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>JUST to make sure (I’m 99.99% sure), we need to have one counselor rec and one teacher rec right?</p>
<p>From the USC Admissions website:
“…download or mail these forms:…
Form 4, Counselor/Teacher Report, with attached letter of recommendation (may be sent separately).”
[Freshmen</a> - USC Undergraduate Admission](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/apply/freshmen.html]Freshmen”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/apply/freshmen.html)</p>
<p>USC asks for only one report (100% sure). It can be done by a teacher OR a counselor. They will accept more than one but it is recommended to do so only if the additional reports provides different/helpful information.</p>
<p>Thanks, guys! :)</p>
<p>Another question about recommendations: is it really that bad to have a teacher from sophomore year give you a rec? Like I’ve mentioned, I was the only sophomore admitted to AP English Literature class and I think my teacher from that class would give me the most glowing rec out of my choices and also could talk about how I challenged myself academically to take that class sophomore year, etc. Would this be a bad idea though, since it’s from sophomore year?</p>
<p>Yes, it is a bad idea. Everyone will tell you it should be a Junior-year teacher.</p>
<p>P.S. I should mention I had my Freshman-year English teacher write mine. Similar reasons. Accepted with a scholarship.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s a bad idea if you still have a solid relationship with the teacher. However, if you haven’t spoken to the teacher since Sophomore year it might not be in your best ineterest. In response to one of the questions you asked earlier, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to get recommendations from two english teachers, but I think it would be advantageous to get recommendations from two people who have different relationshpis with you. I sent in 3 or 4, and they were from a teacher, counselor, employer, and one other that I can’t remember. I think it pays to have a non-academic recommendation that can attest to your integrity and non-academic abilities. However, if you’re stuck in a situation where you don’t trust anyone to write you a recommendation who isn’t a teacher, I would send in as many recommendations as you can get from teachers you trust. Also, I wouldn’t read them before you send them. Like many people said in posts before me, give them an envelope with the address and a stamp on it and ask them to mail it for you after they sign over the seal.</p>
<p>@ tocollege, you think it’s a bad idea even though you did the same thing and were accepted with a scholarship? :-/ </p>
<p>@ Taxi, I don’t really have any non-academic relationships with adults who could write me a recommendation. I don’t want to send too many, though…I might just ask one junior-year teacher to do it…I’m not sure. But thanks for your advice! :)</p>
<p>yeah i was thinkin of doing the same eiffel…i dont know if the teacher would be like “well i have to mail it in myself!” soo idk…but i guess if they don’t sign it, u could take it back the next day in a new envelope and say u forgot to sign it or sumthing. it seems kinda risky to me so idk…</p>