<p>I am applying to Northwestern and I'm trying to find a second rec, and I don't know who to choose. I have chosen a language teacher already. I am majoring in Biology or one of the sciences, btw.
-English teacher: phenomenal writer, did not participate in class discussions, only group activities, probably know me better through my writing
-Physics teacher: horrible writer, subpar grammar/spelling skills, participated in class and labs, talked to him for help many times, related to my area of study</p>
<p>Would you choose a teacher based on his/her writing abilities?</p>
<p>There’s got to be a reason English teachers are a staple of the recommendations colleges get. In fact, my English teacher wrote recommendations for all of us without being asked (very dedicated teacher, she was one of my absolute favorites). I think teachers with writing skills are excellent choices for rec letters. I was allowed to sneak peeks at my letters, and I noticed that my English teacher gave more examples to follow up her claims about me–she used the skills she was teaching us, actually. xD</p>
<p>I had considered getting a recommendation from my physics teacher, but I never hesitated on getting one from my English teacher, and I usually just listened to discussions (not talking doesn’t equal not participating, imo…). If your teacher knows you through your writing, that should be enough.</p>
<p>I don’t mean to persuade you to go with your English teacher, but to reassure you that you can get a good rec from him/her. If you’re confident in your physics teacher, and he knows you’re passionate about the subject, I bet you’d get a good letter from him, too. Grammar reflects the writer, not the subject of the writing. </p>
<p>There’s a little trick you can try when you request rec letters. Ask the teacher “Could you write me a good recommendation letter?” If they hesitate because of the word “good”, you should consider finding someone else.</p>
<p>Since you’re sure that the physics teacher is going to write a recommendation letter with horrible grammar, why not ask them both for a letter, and then use the physics teacher’s as an “optional third” recommendation? Your post makes it seem like your physics teacher knows you better by the way. If he is aware that he has terrible writing skills, you could ask to proofread it yourself after he’s done writing it. That way, you’ll ensure that it has everything he wants to say, and also reads smoothly.</p>
<p>I don’t know how your school does it but at mine the teachers first send their recs to the college counselor who proofreads it and makes sure that it is appropriate. </p>
<p>Yeah it’s better off NOT reading a teacher rec. Colleges will weigh the rec differently if you signed the waiver or not. Proofreading can easily turn into “changes.”</p>