<p>so for the school I want to apply to you need 2 teacher recommendations but on the bottom it say's ''i have known this student for___ years" i really havent connected with any of my teachers from this year or last year and i bet none of them remember me so i dont know if i should just tell my teachers to cross out years and put months or something. what should i do???</p>
<p>First, just have them write how long. If it’s only been a few months, that’s still long enough to make an assessment. The schools know that at many schools (especially larger ones) the teachers don’t interact much with students that aren’t specifically assigned to them.</p>
<p>Second, that line is helpful if - for instance - the student has had the same teacher for multiple years and their knowledge is longer. An example would be my daughter having the same Latin teacher for several years (there is only one) and band teacher. Or the fact that one of her teachers was also her tennis coach.</p>
<p>So be honest and don’t worry about that.</p>
<p>One issue will be - if you haven’t connected with many (any?) of your teachers, it will send up flags about your ability to do so in Boarding School. BS is not just about academics but navigating campus life. Unlike most schools, you won’t just be taking classes from your teachers, you will be living with them and their families. So they’ll be your advisors, dorm heads, coaches, confidants.</p>
<p>It has been clear from talking with adcoms and interviewers this year that a key thing they look for are students are are not going to be shy about approaching and talking with adults.</p>
<p>So if you having connected with any (really - none?) of your teachers, you’re going to have to supplement your application with recommendations from adults who you HAVE connected with and can talk about aspects of your personality and drive that your teachers may not be able to articulate.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responce and it’s not that I shy away from teachers it’s just that this year my classes have been extremely large (31-40 students) and the teacher never has time to just talk. That is actually one of the reasons for wanting to go to boarding school I really want to talk to my teachers 
ur responce really helped</p>
<p>I have a different opinion than ExieMITAlum coming from our own experience applying from a public school and helping others do so. </p>
<p>You don’t need to have formed a huge connection with a teacher by now which may only be 5-6 weeks into your school year. In the setting you are talking about, its not unusual to not be sitting down for chats with your teacher if you have large classes and are a successful student. In this age of NCLB, many PS teachers are so focused on getting some kids up to speed that it is not unusual for kids doing really well to have little personal interaction with their teachers.</p>
<p>Here’s my advice:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Give your teachers the recommendations at the end of November - right before or after the Thanksgiving break. Some schools recommend waiting until late Nov/early Dec as teachers will know you better and have more assessments to help measure you.</p></li>
<li><p>Use the time in between to make sure your performance is top-notch and that you are doing your best to participate. Find a way to make sure they are aware of you over the next 5-6 weeks. Use this time wisely but you don’t need to suck up. </p></li>
<li><p>When you ask a teacher to fill out a rec, along with the rec include a well thought out letter explaining what schools you are applying to and why you are applying to these schools (hint: don’t say for better teachers! ) Also include a list of activities/ECS/ etc that you engage in both in school and out of school. It will help the recommenders see you as a more complete individual which in turn can be expressed in the forms. For mine, the teachers were impressed just how well my son juggled everything given his strong academics. </p></li>
<li><p>I don’t think it is necessary to have additional recs beyond what the schools ask for. “The thicker the file, the thicker the applicant.”</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I do agree with Exie that schools are looking for students who aren’t afraid to ask for help and who will proactively seek out assistance when needed. They will usually ask questions in interviews related to this eg If you were struggling in class what would you do?</p>
<p>Sorry - I was distracted when I wrote that, and incomplete. So ditto - to doschicos.</p>
<p>During parent/teacher conferences last week, my parents told my English and Math teachers that I<code>ll be applying to BS. I</code>m confident these teachers will give me great reviews. However, the Dean of my MS seems to have taken this news personal. I<code>m worried she may give me a mild review. In the past, students w/ 99 ssat scores w/ all A</code>s did not transfer out of my school easily. It has been rumored that my school trys to keep it`s top students for HS. Has anyone had these kinds of worries/problems before?</p>
<p>Funny maddog15 those same thoughts have been on my mind. If you go to a K-12 school it is really not in the school’s best interest to give you a glowing review. Just sets them up for a “brain drain” in 8th grade. I would like to believe that there is more integrity built into the system, but things are mighty competitive these days. I feel confident about the teacher recs, but the head of school? I don’t know. Something to think about.</p>
<p>Do you have a counselor who can write a recommedation for you? I know that most schools require the head of school or a counselor to do the school report recommendation. Maybe he/she can write a better recommedation? Just an idea.</p>
<p>madaket, thanks for your input. I feel a little less paranoid knowing someone else has been wondering those same thoughts.
Hopeful, My school is very small and the dean of MS is all in one. Unfortunately the schools enrollment has gone down these past few yrs. due to the economy. This heightens my worries of the school trying to hang on to me.
I`ve heard about transcripts and recommendations being late and almost missing the BS due dates. The only thing I can do is stay on top of the situation.</p>