<p>I think teachers really appreciate getting a thank you note. My D baked some cookies for her recommenders after she got her acceptance letter from college. Gift cards or other substantial gifts in the middle of the school year are probably not appropriate, especially for current teachers.</p>
<p>My son wrote a thank-you note at the end of senior year to each teacher who wrote a recommendation for him. He waited because he wanted to include information about his final choice and, in his case, details re his merit scholarship. He felt it important that the teacher know that effort on her part positively impacted his life and how grateful he was for the time spent on his behalf.</p>
<p>His gc and his math teacher both told me at a later date that it was the nicest thank you note received. (I ran into the math teacher almost a full year later and it was one of the first things she mentioned.) </p>
<p>We didn’t include gifts - although I have wondered about doing so.</p>
<p>JDA - if your school has the luxury of different guidance counselors and college counselors and neither of them knew to jump at the chance to make sure your kid (and thus their school) has as many finalists as possible, something is out of whack.
Glad to hear a teacher will fill in. </p>
<p>re: gifts for those who write recs. (thank you notes should be sent, no question!) Many teachers would be touched by a simple gift - fancy chocolate bar, single flower, etc. All within a student’s budget.</p>
<p>I think a homemade treat is nice–couldn’t get my S to do it tho. Did get him & D to write thank you notes, but it was like pulling teeth!</p>