<p>Most applicants prefer LORs from big employers rather than their teachers. When I sat to decide the people from whom I would like LORs, I believed that it important for that person to know me well. </p>
<p>That led me to list the two teachers who knew me best (and like me), and I didn't bother to ask one from my employer? Why?</p>
<p>An employer doesn't (in most cases) work with you for as long as your teachers do. Also, chances are that he doesn't know you well if the organisation is huge. But applicants tend to deviate towards how "big" the recommender would look on their application and that's where, in my opinion, they stumble.</p>
<p>It's more important for the person to know you well and a teacher would definitely be evaluate you in a better manner than an employer would.</p>
<p>Does the recommender matter more than the recommendation?</p>
<p>Colleges use recommendations as a means to differentiate between grinds and real, passionate, alive people. Recommendations are supposed to give the adcom insight to who applicants are, and the best recs are the ones who know the applicant well. So yes, the recommendation is a hell of a lot more important than the recommender.</p>
<p>I think you're right on. Teachers and employers are both qualified to speak with authority on your behalf, and it sounds like you choose the people that who were not just "qualified" or "reputable", but who know you best and can write a great recommendation</p>
<p>Certain top schools specifically require two teacher recs from different types of classes -- generally Jr or Sr year. Coaches or employers might be acceptable as a third, supplemental rec. Why? Because you're applying for college, not a job. They want to discern if you are academically what they need first and foremost. It's very clear that teacher recs are more preferred by the adcoms</p>