<p>Hello everyone,
I am in Grade 11 right now and have begun to think about teacher recommendations for college applications. One of my teachers, who taught me biology last year, is the teacher supervisor for a lot of my extra-curriculars and knows me well, but will not be teaching AP bio next year (she'll be teaching core bio). I am wondering how detrimental it would be to ask her for a recommendation letter anyways, since she knows how I perform outside of the classroom and my different skills because of our mutual involvement with certain extracurriculars; or if it would be a bad idea since she isn't teaching me next year? The AP bio teacher next year does not know me at all - I have never even had a conversation with him in the hallways.
Also I'm not sure if this is a helpful thing to note, but bio is going to be one of the main focuses of my application (doing a lot of bio related extra curriculars, etc.)
Thanks!</p>
<p>I would get a letter from this teacher if you feel that the letter will be very personal in conveying your strengths. Can the teacher convey your academic strengths other than test taking? If the teacher can try say that you are a great addition to the classroom based on your participation and other factors, then I would go for it.</p>
<p>Generally, colleges prefer letters of recommendation from teachers in 11th grade, as they have had more recent interactions with you than your 9th or 10th grade teachers. (12th grade teachers, on the other hand, only know you for about 2 months before they need to write a letter of recommendation, so asking a 12th grade teacher who you are having for the first time is never ideal.) </p>
<p>Whatever teacher(s) you choose, you want them to write a dynamic recommendation letter that speaks to your potential as a scholar in the classroom. That’s the most important part of the letter – not your EC’s. If you think your Bio teacher can write you that kind of recommendation, such as the ones on MIT’s website, then go for it: [Writing</a> Recommendations | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs]Writing”>How to write good letters of recommendation | MIT Admissions)</p>
<p>Yes, it does not (usually) matter from whom you get your evaluations. What matters is the content of the recommendation.</p>