Need help deciding between two recommenders (but it's also a lot more complicated than that)

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

So here’s the background of my dilemma:

Virtually all of the colleges I’m applying to require exactly two teacher recommendations. I already have one recommendation, from a teacher who teaches the subject I’ll be majoring in, and whom I’ve known for several years. That leaves one more slot to be filled, and I’m stuck between two candidates.

Let’s call them teacher A and teacher B. Both teachers teach AP classes, and I’ve taken the exams for both of them. They’re both great teachers and great people, and I have positive relationships with both of them. However, teacher A is something of a more…generic? teacher, for lack of a better term, while teacher B, I feel, is a really unique individual. Teacher B is incredibly well-read and funny, and always leaves very articulate and sincere comments on my essays. I feel as though there’s a high chance that teacher B’s recommendation will be much stronger than teacher A’s.

However, the problem is that I’m not sure if I did very well on the AP exam for teacher B’s subject. I’m concerned that if I did badly, it would then ruin my recommendation. I’m fairly certain I at least passed, but I feel as though teacher B might be massively disappointed if I didn’t get a 5.

Originally I intended to wait to July until after the AP scores came out to decide on a course of action. However, I did something which in hindsight was not very smart: I already asked teacher A for a recommendation. Although we haven’t finalized the details yet, teacher A already agreed, which puts me in a tight spot.

I don’t want to jeopardize my relationship with either of these teachers and make the situation any more awkward, but I also want to make sure I get the strongest possible recommendations.

Any advice on how to tactfully resolve this dilemma would be deeply appreciated!

*Note: since I can’t officially invite recommenders to the Common App until after it refreshes in August, that gives me a little bit of wiggle room. The question is what to do with that wiggle room.

2

If your work has been good throughout the year, I don’t think your teacher’s impression is going to change as the result of a single test outcome.

3

That’s true - I realize that now, but I can’t change the fact that I already asked teacher A, so the problem is how to either retract my request, or do something equivalent that allows me to get a recommendation from teacher B.

4

Do not retract your request! That would be awkward and rude to that teacher. You can store more than two references, and choose which ones to send to each college. Send A’s to at least one college on your list, and feel free to send B’s to the others if you so decide.

5

That does seem like my best option, and I considered it before - maybe I’d send A’s recommendation to, say, my safety schools, while I send B’s recommendation to the schools I really want to get into. But in the event teacher A asks me which colleges I’m applying to, how would I respond? I don’t exactly want to lie and leave out the colleges I’ll be sending B’s recommendation to, but I also don’t know if I should reveal what I’m doing to teacher A.

6

You go with teacher B. It doesn’t matter if your grade isn’t as high. Did you do the work, particpate, make an effort, etc? If so, your teacher knows that.

7

@byauthor I don’t see anything wrong with having mutiple recommenders and using their recommendations for certain schools. I will be doing the same in the fall as I can’t decide between 4 teachers(applying to 7 schools). Just tell your teacher A and B what colleges you’re applying to and what colleges you want to use their letter for. They wouldn’t be offended by it.

8

@Iridescentgaze I hope you aren’t planning to ask all 4 teachers for recommendations. You do realize that this is work for the teachers and you aren’t their only student. You need to be respectful of their time. FWIW, at my kids school many teachers will only write a recommendation if you need it. They will ask how many you need and how many you have. If you need two and already have two, they will refuse.

9

Seems like the best option is to just send A’s recommendation to at least one college, and B’s to the others. However, will the teachers be able to see which colleges they’ve been assigned to? (My school uses Naviance, by the way.)

10

@me29034 I reside in Florida where the large majority of students at my school attend large public in state universities and may apply one or two out of state universities. This means teachers at my school rarely write letters of recommendation. Also I will be using all the letters of recommendation from all 4 teachers as it’s not only for applying for universities but also scholarships. With how many letters I do need for applications, I have to ask mutiple teachers for letters(some of my schools use common app, some have their own application system, some use ApplyTexas and some use mail). It would be tedious and annoying to have one teacher go through the trouble of sending their letters through all these different methods. I’m trying to make it easier by asking more teachers.

11

To reiterate my final wrap-up question: I’ve decided I’ll send A’s recommendation to at least one college, and B’s to the others. However, can teachers see which colleges they’ve been assigned to? (Recommendations for my school are submitted through Naviance to the Common App.)

If A is aware I’m not using their recommendation “seriously” it might insult them, and I’d like to avoid that.