<p>Most of the universities I'm applying to require recommendations from humanities or social sciences teachers, but I can't get any. I have only taken math, physics, and chemistry A-Levels since grade 11, and the teachers who taught me in grades 9 and 8 aren't in my school anymore. So what should I do? Should I get a rec from another teacher? Or should I just send in one math and one science, and make it clear on the app that I didn't take those classes. I guess this is what I get for going to a crappy school in the UAE. Anyone know what I should do?</p>
<p>They don't make you take humanities and history every year as a graduation requirement? That's strange, maybe you should ask your guidance counselor what to do.</p>
<p>No, we just take the classes that we're going to take the A-Level exams for at the end of the year. And my school doesn't have a guidance counselor, or anyone else who is familiar with US universities (I'm outside the US - in the United Arab Emirates)
So what should I do?</p>
<p>I am not familiar with schools outside the US so maybe someone else would be of more help because the only thing I can think of is contacting the schools you are applying to and asking them or making it known on your application that you could not get a rec from a history/humanities teacher because of your situation. What is it that you plan on studying? If it's science or math, then I don't think that not having a rec from a hist or humanities teacher will be a big deal if your other recs are solid, but I'm not sure.</p>
<p>wesam, what about schools you attended before A-levels? surely there must be at least ONE humanities subject you took. in my case, the only humanities subject is History. And also, General Paper or Thinking SKills at a-level counts under humanities.</p>
<p>When in doubt - call the school!</p>
<p>Do you study English outside of school? You may be able to send the recommendation of a tutor if you have nothing else available. Make it a third recommendation, though, in case it is not accepted.</p>
<p>I took a lot of them in grades 9 and 10 (IGCSE's), but none of the teachers who taught the subjects are in my school anymore. So I obviously can't get any recs from them. Also, I grew up in Kansas so my english is pretty good (so I never needed a tutor). My school doesn't offer any A-Levels besides Math and the 3 sciences (p, c, b) anyways.</p>
<p>So you see my problem?</p>
<p>also, you can have your headmaster fill in the school report and write you a rec instead of getting a counselor to do so.</p>
<p>"I took a lot of them in grades 9 and 10 (IGCSE's), but none of the teachers who taught the subjects are in my school anymore. So I obviously can't get any recs from them."</p>
<p>You could get a rec from one of your former teachers if you contacted them directly. Ask your counselor or principal for the address of one of them - or if they can't do that, ask your counselor to contact one of them for you. I'd be surprised if a teacher wouldn't be willing to help out a previous student.
In the future, you may have to track down previous bosses or professors for recommendations - this is not unusual. Everyone moves around these days.</p>
<p>I'll try to find one of them, but I'll be lucky if I do, I think they all left the country. If I can't track one down, then I'll just have my principal write one like cling suggested.</p>