<p>While organizing my application I couldn't resist the temptation of peeking at some of my recommendation forms (I know, a grave sin, forgive me). While taking a glance at them, I noticed my principal only marked my academic achievement as only "above average" or "good". I was a bit disturbed by this because I personally believed that my grades were definitely excellent (straight 7's and 6's which converts to A+ and A's in the IB system) and definitely were in "the top ten percent" of my year (this was proven since I received an academic merit for grades which was only given to 20 students of our year). He also evaluated many of my other characteristics at such a standard, including my effort and work ethic, despite the fact that my other teachers whom I've spoke to said that I was one of the most hardworking students in the year. Although he evaluated me overall as an excellent person, he only evaluated me as an above average student. </p>
<p>Although I wanted to speak to my principal about this, I knew that wouldn't happen since I was forbidden to even look at the application in the first place. Although my grades definitely reflect my academic ability, it makes me a bit paranoid if the admissions officers assume that my grades are overshadowed by many others which is not true.</p>
<p>I suppose that the problem for only a relatively decent school report comes from the fact that my school is only 3 years old, there are no guidance counselors who I could speak to and who would look over my academics more consistently, and that I've never actually spoken to my principal so that he could get a better overview of me (he rarely bothers to talk to students unless if they are graduating seniors or if they are problematic students) which reflected on my recommendation form where he commented on literally nothing concerning my characteristics or grades.</p>
<p>The problem is that I don't want schools that I'm applying to assume that I'm just a mediocre student with mediocre grades in comparison to other students in my school. Although I've spoken and interviewed with my English and math teachers, who know me much better, and they are very fond of me and are aware of my work ethic and academic capabilities, I'm afraid that what those recommendations have to say will be overshadowed by my School Report (even though that the form was very sloppy, unclear, and left many blanks of the important areas). My question is that how effective is this School Report in terms of my overall evaluation as a student?</p>
<p>Bad move on your part on so many levels. You opened up mail not addressed to you. Now you are filled with worries. It would have been better not knowing.</p>
<p>You don’t have a problem with your recommendations, you just don’t like one of them. You are right you shouldn’t have looked in the first place, now you are looking for sympathy? There is a reason they are supposed to be sent directly by the teachers to the school.</p>
<p>theyre sending your transcripts, the school can decide whether you get good grades or not.
hey didnt your principal have to seal and sign the envelope? wouldnt they know if you opened it?</p>
<p>woah, i can’t believe your school gives back the letters to you. ours, once we turn them and addressed envelopes in to the counseling office we never see them again o_O</p>
<p>yea, i find that weird. people on here say they saw their reccommendation and im like “how?”. dont they send those in themselves after you give it to them?</p>
<p>Naw, it’s pretty common in some cases especially if the student studies abroad. In my case my teachers actually GAVE it to me and told me to send it off myself even though I specifically told them they had to send it themselves (the form wasn’t even in the envelope I had provided for them). Unlike the above situation I didn’t bother looking into the forms and just quickly put them into an envelope and had them sent off.</p>
<p>Regarding the School Report:
While speaking with an admissions officer from Hotchkiss, I asked him about a problem regarding my School Report form as well (my principal kept losing the copies I gave him and eventually ended up making a “universal” recommendation form). He mentioned that the admissions officers generally use the School Report to see if the kid had a tardiness problem, academic problem, or if they were a problematic student. Besides that, he said the admissions people honestly don’t use it that much in evaluating the student, especially in comparison to the other things on the list (english/math recs, grades, etc.).</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure the people in the office are pretty considerate when it comes to recommendations. Regardless of whatever your principal has to say about your academics, your grades will always be there to tell the complete truth (A 4.0 will, and always be, a 4.0).</p>
<p>Deerfield gives you envelopes for each teacher that the teacher signs near/under the seal (I can’t remember exactly) but if you open them, they would know. AND, it is required that they be returned in that envelope.<br>
I guess all schools should do that…</p>
<p>One of my teachers asked me to send it for them too… it was for Andover, and he had to sign the flap too. It was actually quite hard to resist the temptation, but the envelope was sealed really tight so… there wasn’t anything I could really do about it!</p>
<p>Joeybill, I think you should just forget it. You weren’t supposed to have looked at it anyways, and I’m sure that if you do outstandingly on all the other parts it won’t count that much against you. I’m not sure what my principal wrote for me, I can just hope for the best, although it is true he doesntn know me too well.</p>
<p>My counselor signed the seal, but not over it, so I could open it (I’m not going to though). Should I tell them to resign it over the seal? They didn’t do it on any of them (4) so they would have to resign four envelopes.</p>
<p>The School Report does not have the same weight as the other components of your application. It’s out of your control, anyway.
I’m more troubled by your casual attitude to a serious ethical violation…what were you thinking? You should know that any admissions committee would be far more concerned about your values in this situation than by any information in the School Report.</p>