<p>For teacher recommendations, how important is it to use junior/senior year teachers? There is definately one teacher that I will have had both junior and senior years that I will ask, but for the other rec, I kind of want to ask my math teacher that I had as a freshman and sophomore. Although I probably could ask my junior/senior year math teacher, I think that the rec from my first math teacher would be better. </p>
<p>BTW, my junior/senior math teacher is a Princeton grad. Would this get his rec more respect in the eyes of the adcom? (I am not, however, applying to Princeton)</p>
<p>Having your junior/senior math teacher write for you won't hurt at all. However, if you feel that that the math teacher you've known since freshman year knows more about your personality and work habits, I would go along with her/him instead. It will make your recommendation letter seem more personal and not like an edited template that is used for everyone. Even if your junior/senior teacher is a Princeton grad, it doesn't make his/her recommendation more appealing in the eyes of an admissions officer. Being a Princeton grad doesn't automatically mean that you are a better evaluator than someone else who went to another school if you get what I mean. :) Good luck!</p>
<p>Regarding your last question, no, the alma mater of your recommender will not influence the significance of the recommendation in the least. </p>
<p>I am not so sure about the first question but I think it would be fine to ask your sophomore teacher if he/she knows you better (now, not how you were a year ago) than your junior year teachers.</p>
<p>To anyone reading this thread- I go to the same school as the op so I know what he's talking about when he says that his freshman/sophomore math teacher's rec would be better. It's not a matter of knowing each student because our math teacher knows us very well, it's a matter of what they will write. Our math teacher specifically says that he's going to write a story about you and he's going to write the truth no matter what, so if your participation is not all that great you shouldn't get a rec from him. With that said, there are only really two people in our class who will be going to him for a rec because they are, um...I can't think of a good term to use to describe them ;) </p>
<p>So MrChipmonk, get it from Winant. I bet that's what a lot of people are going to do.</p>