<p>is it okay if daughter has a school official that just retired this year but knows her much better than my school counselor write her counselor recommendations? I mean does his being retired affect anything or make it illegitimate?</p>
<p>any help would be appreciated guys!</p>
<p>I don’t know about Counselors but DS had one of his teacher recommendations done by a retired teacher who had had him for 3 years (Fr, So, Jr.)</p>
<p>I guess my only concern would be if the Counselor had access to the most current info - that recommendation includes things such as class standing which he might not have access to.</p>
<p>It is a counsleor evaluation form. </p>
<p>I agree with scualum, that maybe this retired official could and should write her a recommendation letter but leave the evaluation form to the counselor. Better yet, talk to the counselor to try to create a win-win situation.</p>
<p>The counselor is responsible for filling out information on the form such as the current course load, gpa, rank, difficulty or coursework, sending the profile, etc. If the school has a follow-up question about the student or if the student is waitlisted or deferred it will be the counselor who will be the one to contact the school and advocate for your child.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice,
but I mean if he retired just last year( former VP) then couldn’t he access those records as well?</p>
<p>He wouldn’t be able to write teacher rec cause he was VP, but on the common app, it says in the 2nday school forms that you can have counselor or school administrator fill it out. I’m just unsure whether his being retired makes it illegitimate or whatnot.</p>
<p>in addition,the reason she even wants the former vp to write it is because she knows he’d write a superb one, if that helps the case at all.</p>
<p>thanks again for any advice!</p>
<p>Wouldn’t worry about it in the least. Schools receive applications from homeschoolers all the time where other folks write the “counselor” recommendation. Similar is often true with students from abroad, and students from schools (lots of them!) where there isn’t dedicated school counselor for college purposes. It won’t be in the least unusual.</p>
<p>thanks so much! that’s good to hear</p>
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<p>But none of the scenarios you mentioned are the case for OP. She is not being homeschooled, OP attends a NorCal high school where there is a guidance counselor. OP wants a former administrator to write the letter and do the paperwork instead or her guidance counselor</p>
<p>As I stated the former administrator could still write a recommendation for the student (no question) but the retired administrator should not fill out the form in the capacity of a high school administrator, because he is no longer performing that job. When he writes a letter for the student, he should state that he is in fact now retired.</p>
<p>In fact, it is a bit of a slippery slope that some might consider as the former administrator misrepresenting him self (which would really not place the student in a postive light) as all it would take is another application from the school or a call to the school to see that the administrator is no longer employed by the school. </p>
<p>In answer to OP’s question, once an administrator leaves, they do not have access to a student’s information.</p>
<p>Once again, I think Op should speak with her counselor as I am sure she would be willing to collaborate with the retired administrator on the student’s behalf.</p>
<p>thanks again sybbie</p>
<p>A student can always submit additional recommendations, this is particularly common with athletes, who submit a coach’s rec in addition to the standard teacher and counselor recs. There’s no reason wy OP’s D shouldn’t submit the retired courselor’s rec - - but to supplement the standard package, not in lieu of the current counselor’s rec. In his letter the retired counselor/vp can certainly indicate how and for how long he has know OP’s D.</p>
<p>OP, is there some reason you want the retired counselor to write the rec instead of (rather than in addition to) the current counselor? I know he can write a “better” letter but isn’t your scenario the same as that of a student whose strongest letter would come a teacher who taught the student soph year, but the application states “teacher from jr or sr year?”</p>
<p>If this fits your situation, the current counselor might be happy to say: Here are the school stats for this student. I didn’t get a chance to know her well, but here’s what our last-year’s principal made a point of adding to her file since he knew her so well.
I think any college would like that. PLus the current counselor doesn’t have to write about your kid. Win win.</p>
<p>to Nyc: It really is up to my daughter, I’m not really forcing her to do anything. She says that her counselor writes really generic (though good) letters, but she feels that this VP would probably right a much stronger and more personal one in comparison.</p>
<p>Dragonmom: good idea, thanks!</p>