<p>While getting recommendations, a few of the people I asked asked me to fill it out, and then they will review it, and sign it. Is this okay?</p>
<p>No. If the schools found that out they would not be happy. It's a check box type form for most which would take not a lot of time, and this is supposed to be a recommendation that the student does not see. I would highly discourage it.</p>
<p>Plus, it's dishonest. I second Linda's discouragement.</p>
<p>Just tell those who wanted you to fill them out that you would be extremely uncomfortable with that. I would take care not to be outraged because you would essentially be impuning the character of the person who will be writing them (I would be outraged at the suggestion of cheating my recs). Again, try not to accuse those who suggested it of dishonesty (even though it is). You could suggest that they mention certain achievements. But whatever you do....DON'T fill them out yourself and have them sign them.</p>
<p>Yeah, I guess you guys are right</p>
<p>Just write your name on the form and give it to the teacher.</p>
<p>along similar lines - the forms we are seeing ask for "current" math or english or whatever... how strict are they about current vs. last year's teacher? </p>
<p>On a lot of the forms it asks for current grade in the class so if we asked last year's teacher they'd have to fib or make a note that they are using last year's info. Seems like you could get "dinged" for not following directions.... However, given the timing this can be problematic - my kids just finished quarter 1 - in some classes they've developed good relationships with their new teachers in others not so solid. It's a public school, these teachers have lots of kids that they work with - they may barely know my child yet be completing a form that could have significant weight on their BS acceptance. </p>
<p>Any thoughts on whether it's a problem to use last year's English teacher who had the student for 9 months vs. the 2 months that they have had with the the current teacher? We've considered this or possibly sending in an extra form (so last years and this year's English teacher) just in case - but again it looks like you can't follow directions...... Thoughts?</p>
<p>Similarly what if a kid doesn't hit if off with the requested teacher? At a public school you can run into - "why do you want to leave? Aren't we good enough for you, etc". They only get 3 maybe 4 references so if one of them is really a low ball will it matter? Should we not take that chance by not "following the directions to the tee"? or should we follow the directions and just hope? Ideas?</p>
<p>interested: I'm certain private school admissions officers have encountered public school teachers who are not happy at the thought of a student "going private." I would not under any circumstances try to avoid requesting a recommendation from this year's math teacher, for example, even if you fear he or she might give a negative recommendation. Omitting a required recommendation is sure to be a red flag.</p>
<p>I'd suggest you follow directions insofar as requesting the required recommendations from this year's teachers. Most schools allow you to send in extra recommendations. Photocopy or download a blank form for the math teacher, etc., and give one copy to last year's teacher. If it's an extra recommendation, I'm sure a simple letter would suffice. You should give them a copy of the standard form, so that they can see the areas schools are most interested in.</p>
<p>Scubasteve1233, your earlier posts state you are presently in Israel. This may be a cultural problem. Explain to your teachers that the recommendations are most useful to you if you don't see them. If they are uncomfortable writing letters in English, translate the checklists for them, and tell them they can write the letters in Hebrew. They could put both the checklists and the letters into the same envelope, and I'll bet the smart people in admissions would be able to find a rabbi to translate.</p>
<p>Something similar happened to me. Alot of teachers asked if I wanted the "usual". They told me the sheer volume of recs from all of the seniors made it hard to do anything special for a sophmore. Basically I broke up the forms so that each teacher would only do 1-2 and the english/math teachers will make copies of the forms so they only have to do 1 for 6 of the schools with common forms.</p>
<p>my math teacher has expressed that he HATES Exeter,........and next month I'll be giving him recommendation forms</p>
<p>"along similar lines - the forms we are seeing ask for "current" math or english or whatever... how strict are they about current vs. last year's teacher?"</p>
<p>The schools would not specifically ask for the CURRENT teacher if they were okay with receiving a rec from a previous year's teacher. The ability to follow directions is absolutely a quality which schools are looking for.</p>
<p>A few thoughts:
1) Everyone else is in the same boat; it's not like other kids have the ability to use previous year's teachers while you have to use a current teacher. No disadvantage there.
2) Most of the recs are due in January. The most competitive boarding schools think about it like this: if you can't make a good enough impression on your teacher between September-January, then you're not necessarily the kind of kid they're looking for! Plus, experienced admission officers are trained to read public school recs with a grain of salt: of course with 25-35 kids in a classroom, the teacher can't possibly write at length about any particular student.
3) Another major reason to use a current teacher: especially in middle school, a year of maturity is HUGE. Remembering back to my own youth, the type of student I was in 7th grade was a far cry from the type of student I was in 8th grade. This is of particular importance for boy applicants, who mature a little later than girls of the same age.</p>
<p>Italian Boarder - That's why they have the common forms that nearly EVERY school - not jus the "10" take. Try to, if you can have them sign each one though - not photocopoy the signature.</p>
<p>As for this year vs. last year - THIS YEAR'S teacher. They know that many people only know the teacher for 2-3 months. Although, they could do it over Christmas and that would be 4 months... Anyway, call and ask, but the schools we applied to all were HAPPY to have an extra recommendation beyond the required. In fact, one school asked for a "character" recommendation and the rest did not. We gave the person envelopes for the other schools as well, so they could make copies and send it. Same with the "additional teacher" one that many schools ask for.</p>