<p>I have a very strong-willed personality, and in my CA essay I talk about how my open-mindedness and stubbornness co-exist. This is very very true and I did not make anything up. However, I am not certain that my teacher's recommendation letters will reflect this. Because I have never formed very very strong relationships with any of my teachers. I participate a lot and ask questions, and go in for extra help, and occasionally chat it up with them, but never have I had a teacher as a "mentor." I'm afraid that admissions officers will think that my CA is not an accurate reflection of me. HELP! D:</p>
<p>Have you considered giving the teachers who are writing your letters a copy of your application essays, along with a “brag sheet”, to help them write on your behalf?</p>
<p>Your essay and their recs do not have to match up. They can be on different things. I was always strong willed, yet extremely open minded. But, my teachers knew “the school me” which was someone who worked hard, sat in the front row, always participated, etc. What they had to say about me would be very different than what I would say.</p>
<p>It’s actually a good thing that your essay shows the colleges something about you that isn’t apparent from the rest of your application. That’s what you want - otherwise your essay is redundant.</p>
<p>^Well yes and no. I think both approaches can work. My older son was a computer nerd and I am sure at least one of the teachers touched on that. Younger son had an essay about feeling like a historian from one of his ECs and also had a recommendation from his APUSH teacher. That said, I don’t think it’s a problem if your essay about personality traits is or is not reflected in what the teachers say about you. I doubt they are going to say kiwisarecool sat like a lump on a log in my class displaying close-mindedness in a not-stubborn way. They’ll probably say you were curious and asked questions and went the extra mile. No?</p>