<p>Is it okay to get a recommendation from a class that you got a C in but tried really hard and spent a lot of time getting extra help from that teacher (honors course)? Or would it be a better idea to get a recommendation from a class you got a higher mark in?</p>
<p>also do you have to get a recommendation from a teacher or could it be from a coach or someone you volunteered for often?</p>
<p>You re generally required to get teacher recs, although an extra rec from a coach or someone who knows you well and in a different capacity is generally helpful.</p>
<p>Picking a teacher in a subject in which you got a C is not necessarily a bad idea if the teacher knows you well and can attest not just to how hard you worked, but also to the way you changed as a student over the course of the semester/year. If the teacher saw a real transformation, it could be a valuable rec. If it’s just a ‘x worked really really hard but still only deserved a C’ it probably wouldn’t serve you very well.</p>
<p>I’d be leery of it unless its a grade in a subject that its clear you’ll steer wide away from in the future (eg it was a math class and you’re applying as an art major). </p>
<p>Think about what this says. Not only did you get a C in the class, but even with lots of extra help from the teacher you couldn’t really get a solid handle on the subject. What would an adcom predict from that about your ability to handle college-level classes, generally acknowledged to be more difficult than honors-level HS classes?</p>
<p>Also, before you get this letter (should you decide to do so) you need to ask the teacher directly whether it will be a positive one. This can be awkward to ask, but you have to do it. Perhaps the teacher will write the letter you are thinking you’ll get (“Johnny tried as hard as any student I’ve had”), but perhaps the teacher is frustrated (“I spent more time after class helping Johnny than just about any other kid I’ve taught, and he still didn’t get it. I worry for how he’ll do in college”).</p>