I’m planning on going to into a STEM field (Physics) for my major in college and will be putting that as my intended major. However, my two letters of recommendation are coming from my AP Lang teacher and my AP Human/Psychology teacher (taught me 9th and 11th grade). I know most schools don’t admit by major, but would this hurt me in any way? I expect two very strong recommendations from them as they are by far my favorite teachers and the ones who know me the best. I could get a STEM recommendation, however, I know for a fact that their recommendations wouldn’t be as thorough or unique as the other two.
you’ll need a stem recommendation, many high schools will often recommend that all students regardless of major submit a stem, non-stem, and GC. Esp for a physics major not to have a math or science teacher could raise a flag.
The problem is that my STEM teachers have been lack-luster comparatively. The only good one would’ve been my AP Calc teacher, but she retired. I feel like instead of going for a mediocre letter from a STEM teacher that doesn’t know me very well, I should go for a letter that is from a teacher who really does know me as a person and can vouge for my character.
Talk to your guidance counselor and see if he/she has the contact information for the calculus teacher. He/she may be happy to write a LOR for you.
I already emailed her earlier on after I got my English teacher rec. She told me very politely that she wasn’t writing recommendation letters anymore now that she retired, which I can understand. She liked me, but not as much as the two I have now. So, should I keep my quality humanities ones (one English one Social Studies) or go for a lesser STEM one? My whole application heavily leans humanities in general, though, so idk if it’d make that much of a difference.
I would probably use your two best recommendations but you may get some different opinions here. In the end it is your application and your call (unless a college specifically asks for a STEM teacher LOR in which case one should be provided).
This is what the college says on their site “Please ask two of your teachers from different academic areas of study to complete and send the teacher recommendation forms, available on the Coalition Application, Common Application and Universal College Application websites. Choose teachers who have taught you in higher-level courses.”
Their FAQ says this “We require two academic teacher recommendations, and request, but do not require, a letter from your guidance counselor, college adviser or another school official to accompany the School Report.”
They’re both humanities teachers, but one is English while the other is Social Studies. On the commonapp, those are two different choices, so would those qualify for different academic areas of study? That’s what I can find on the college’s site.
Think about it. If you’re applying stem, they want a stem LoR. How else are they supposed to learn what a stem teacher thinks of your stem work?
As it is, you have a challenge to show full stem readiness. And you note interest in tippy tops, where the competition is ridiculously fierce. Other applicants will apply with a complete picture, incl strong stem AP and ECs in and out of the hs.