I see on the tamu admissions page that
I have planned to start applying in summer (because that will raise my chances). However, I am having an issue with getting a letter of recommendation. Right now, I only feel comfortable asking a single teacher for a rec letter, but I have only been in that class for half a semester (currently in the class).
I am also not sure about whether I will be able to get teachers to write rec letters since AP exams and finals are coming up (I have 6 AP classes and I don’t do so well in my honors classes, so I can basically only as AP teachers). While my counselor has been nice to me and greets me in hallways, I have never worked with my counselor and don’t even know her very well (so a counselor recommendation letter is out).
If I apply in summer, I will need to have my rec letters by the end of the school year (which isn’t that far away). Considering this is now the busy final stretch, I am unsure of whether teachers will have the time to write a rec letter.
Since the tamu admissions page says that optional documents have little impact, am I good without a rec letter?
I am currently academic admit but wary about my chances of getting into engineering.
I think you’ll be fine because the letter is optional.
Better to have a few in my opinion. Do you have a coach or pastor you work with? Someone who knows you well? My son got one from his college professor bc he took her course 3 semesters in a row. They just want someone who knows you well. A teacher from core subject is preferred but if you don’t have one you’re comfortable with, at least get one from somebody.
@gogogogobruins
Outside of school, the only other option I can think of is my Taekwondo Master. However, I have really been slacking off the past year (coming to class late, not doing the best I could do, etc.). I could try and spend my summer working there (I am a black belt and worked there last year) so maybe asking him for a rec letter after hitting the gym a bit more and working hard could improve my chances.
While I do go to church, I haven’t really been involved. While people would say “He’s a good kid”, there isn’t really much else.
Overall, I regret not taking into consideration rec letters sooner and building those relationships, but it’s too late now to think about that.
Make an appointment with your guidance counselor and talk through your plans. You could write her a brief outline of your goals and strengths and classes this far so that she has background I formation to base her letter on. Counselors are used to writing these letters. Same with your teacher. You are smart to be asking now. You might want to see about having the letters put into whatever system your high school uses so that they are available to be used for any other school you might apply for.
You can add to your file - it doesn’t have to be there when you first submit your application. Just send later with this form http://admissions.tamu.edu/pdfs/Doc_ID_Sheets.aspx.
I do agree that you should at least eventually have these letters added to your file. Even though they are optional, everything you do to show A&M that you are interested is a step in the right direction. Also, search online for some suggestions on writing good LOR. You don’t want the writer to just basically restate your resume. If it’s going to stand out from other letters, it should be fairly personal and highlight something about you that will cause the reader to take notice. Like @treschicos said, you can help the writer by jotting down some characteristics, goals, personal information to give them a jumping off point. I think they would appreciate the details rather than pulling from your resume. Although the letters written for my son were great, he didn’t have all of this knowledge prior to his asking for the letters. We’ve learned more AFTER he applied, and although we can’t go back and fix his application, I hope to pass on what we’ve learned to others who are about to go through it. The more the application committee can tell about you from pieces of paper, the better shape you should be in.
Are you holistic review? We just did a visit yesterday and in the prospective student session, they said that you can start your application early, but they will not review it until the deadline for all apps. Which means that you have more chances to take the ACT/SAT in the beginning of the school year.
The rationale is that they want you to have the best shot that you can get, and if you’re borderline on test scores, this will let you bring them up and become an auto admit.
From what I’ve read in various places, it does look good to start an app early because it expresses interest, but you can turn in those letters next school year.
Is that for engineering or for other schools? Even the reviews were done as apps came in for Fall 2017!
I believe it’s for non-engineering applications.
I don’t know if any review applicants got their decision before Dec 1. If they did, sounds like the speaker at the session got some wires crossed.
@gogogogobruins
Not sure if you are addressing me, but I am doing Fall of 2018 so I am applying this summer.
It could be very careful semantics – in the past the holistic(review) candidates were reviewed an initial time on a rolling basis as all applications started review, then those with “yes, college station” were notified, the maybe’s & no’s were held until after application deadline & looked at again if anything added or put aside until the numbers allowed a decision. There is no deferred or waitlist admissions to the university itself, although this year they deferred some engineering college admits (for the first time). Hope that helps, basically you are allowed to add to your file until the closing date. After that date, you can’t add anything unless the school requests information from you.
@RMNiMiTz I think the main thing @gogogogobruins was asking was if you’re applying to engineering. 
And yes, I agree that you need to take the standardized tests in the fall and have your updated scores added to your application file. Remember that it will also help when scholarship time rolls around!