<p>I am a student and I'd just like some inputs from parents.</p>
<p>When a teacher told me that she wrote a "very good recommendation letter" for me, would it be possible that she actually wrote a bad one? I asked her and I am curious whether there would be any ground for her not to say the truth.</p>
<p>I am a parent and have wondered the same thing, though it was more of a fleeting thought. I trust you asked a teacher to write for you who has seen you at peak performance in a class you did well in - most kids do. Your teacher likely wrote the best letter for you based on your grades and her personal view of you while in her class and I would bet he/she would want to see you get a chance to go to college. Trust your initial instincts. Good luck!</p>
<p>happysunshine,</p>
<p>Is there a reason you are worried about this teacher’s recommendation? Are you not getting acceptances you otherwise think you would be highly qualified to receive? If you releasted your rights to see the recommendation, then you’ll not know…but I think you’d have to trust that if she said it was a very good letter, then it is as honest a description of you that she was able to give. Why do you ask?</p>
<p>I am just trying to figure out the flaws in my application.</p>
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Are you suggesting that a very good recommendation letter means a very honest one? I kind of disagree with that. I tend to think that a very good one highlights the student’s accomplishments and minimizes the mention of his/her flaws. Everybody is not perfect and I believe every teacher can see that.</p>
<p>There might not be any flaws in your application! Don’t forget that all of the schools are faced with huge amounts of very talented students applying, and not all can get in - it just isn’t possible. Don’t beat yourself over any denials. Celebrate your acceptances! And, if you haven’t done so, listen to the NPR segment from earlier this week all about admissions at Amherst - very eye opening, and I think puts things in perspective for disappointed applicants!</p>
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Unfortunately I am highly suspicious of this since I got rejected everywhere and will be going to my safety school in the fall.</p>
<p>If she said she wrote a good recommendation, believe it. My H is a college professor and writes tons of recommendation letters. He’d decline to write the letter before he’d write a “bad” one. It’s simply not worth his time to make sure a kid doesn’t get in somewhere.</p>
<p>If she wrote a bad one I don’t know why she would tell you she wrote a very good one. More likely she just wouldn’t say anything to you at all about it.</p>