<p>Hi guys, I was wondering if it's still possible to get into a prestigious university when one of your teacher rec letters is very generic. I'm just curious as to how much harm a mediocre rec letter can do. Thank! </p>
<p>What do you mean “generic”? Positive but generalities? Or lukewarm? If it’s just a mediocre LoR but contains unequivocal support, the colleges will know to take it into account. Not everyone can write a great LoR</p>
<p>Is it Possible? Yep. But remember, the readers aren’t mind readers. They’ll have to rely on other areas of your file to decide upon you. Is your other rec letter superlative? You’d better hope so.</p>
<p>Now if the LOR only middling of its support of you, then you’re nuts to have asked this teacher. Sending in a lukewarm LOR is basically suicide.</p>
<p>She basically rehashed my resume, but it is definitely positive. I asked her not knowing that she had never written a college rec letter before (it’s her first year teaching at a high school), and I thought that she’d write a good one since I help her a lot with teaching the AP class so she would be able to write anecdotes etcetc. But then I read it recently and yeah… </p>
<p>Has it already been submitted? Are you a senior? If you’re a junior and have time for her to edit, may I suggest the following?</p>
<p><a href=“How to write good letters of recommendation | MIT Admissions”>http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs</a></p>
<p>OP appears to be a sr. I know everyone’s going crazy today, but please just hang in there!</p>