<p>My daughter was told that she will need two teacher recommendations and that one should be an english or history teacher, and the other should be a math or science teacher. Is this true? I don't remember anything like this when my older daughter applied. My daughter is stronger in english, history and foreign languages and likes these teachers more.</p>
<p>Also - I looked at the websites for some of the schools she's interested in and it looks like they ask for only ONE teacher recommendation.</p>
<p>Susanna, you're smart to look at individual school's websites. Some schools want 2, some 1, and most are very specific about wanting no more than asked for. The websites will usually indicate something about the recommendations coming from teachers in core subjects, so 1 from the humanities side and 1 from math/science would be a good balance. Also, they usually want recs from more recent teachers.</p>
<p>Somtimes schools ask for 2, but they're counting the guidance counselor recommendation (as part of the secondary school report) as 1. Some schools ask for several -- for example, USC asked for a guidance counselor and 3 others. RIT leaves it up to the student (or at least, that's what they're admissions deprt. told me on the phone this week.) You'll find that many schools (for example, Skidmore) ask for 'adademic' teachers only (ie, no art teachers, etc.) They want English, SS, Science, Math or language.</p>
<p>So, I would call the admissions department for a direct answer.</p>
<p>MIT specifically says one non-science teacher. Our son got one of his recommendations from his Physics teacher and his Latin teacher - I think he might have been better off using his history teacher instead of the Latin teacher, though I'm sure she wrote an excellent recommendation.</p>
<p>The University of Chicago specifies one teacher from math/science and one teacher from English/social sciences. Recs from language teachers can only be sent as extras. Most schools strongly prefer a teacher whom the kid had junior year, but it can be any subject. Conventional wisdom says that it is wise to get one from a science or math subject and one from the humanities, if possible.</p>
<p>Conventional wisdom also says that extra recs work against the candidate. Based on the experience of kids I know, this is false. A couple of extra recs--from a major EC and an employer, for example--definitely worked to the advantage of kids I know. (Sure, recs from random people who may have a powerful position but don't really know the kid would probably just annoy the ad com.)</p>
<p>Agree, look at each schools website, as they are different. With S1 looking into Engineering, it was a "no brainer" to ask his science teacher/mentor for one, and S' favorite other teacher, US History, for other. All schools he applied required 2 recs.</p>
<p>That said, S2 is currently going through app process to mid-level LAC's that do or don't even require one teacher rec. Since he plans to major in music, it seemed logical to ask music teacher. Sent music teacher rec to all schools, even the one that did not require a teacher rec.</p>
<p>It really depends on the school, and your student should do their homework rather than rely on the GC.</p>
<p>Thanks, Juniper. I interpret that the standard two teachers and one counselor would fit that requirement of three (at least that link doesn't really spell it out that it's 3 teachers).</p>
<p>Makes sense, SoCal, but I called and they said send the counselor rec. to USC with the regular application, and send the (3) teacher rec.'s to School of Cinematic Arts. Deadline is 12/1.</p>