<p>I had an english teacher in my sophomore year that disliked me very much at the start of school. At the time, I was timid and participated very little in class. He apparantly hated my writing style and completely tore up my essays. However, I worked out my flaws, finishing off with an "A" average at the end of the year and became a much more engaging person along the way. He proved an inspriration to me and I grew more confident in myself and my abilities. I even began joking with my teacher, and I could see that he liked me much better at the end of the year. </p>
<p>I really want to ask him for my LOR because he has witnessed my flaws and seen me overcome them. But I'm scared because I'm not sure if he ever really liked me to begin with. There were always students in my class that were more talkative than me, and whom my teacher favorited. And even though I did well in the class, my work ethic was really skewed. It was just an awful year for me because my parents were going through a divorce and my best friend committed suicide :( and this resulted in my heavy procrastination and depression. My teacher always "joked" that I was a bad and lazy student....at least I hope...</p>
<p>I continued seeing and talking to my teacher throughout my junior year and I told him about the personal problems I encountered. I also wrote about the personal growth I experienced in his class in my common app essay. Would colleges think that I was brave or stupid for asking the same teacher that "hated" me for a recommendation? Do you think he would write me a good one?</p>
<p>I would not ask this teacher. For me the biggest potential problem is that their “story” might not match yours. What if that teacher never “hated you.”. What if that was all just your take on things but not theirs? What if they just never really noticed you? What f they never really saw the change and growth you write about? Personally I would not take the chance.</p>
<p>I would talk to the teacher and be honest about why you would like to ask him for the LOR. Give him a copy of the essay that you wrote and ask him to think about whether he would be comfortable giving you an LOR.</p>
<p>It has nothing to do with this teacher, but you will be better off with a current teacher. I remember some colleges say they prefer recommendation from teachers in 11th grade.</p>
<p>Better an enthusiastic rec from a teacher whose class you did well in and who also liked you than a lifeless, “good” rec from a teacher whose class you did well in, but who didn’t. In the latter case, there are many ways to write the facts, positive though they may be, but with a spin on them so that you come off sounding not so special, or worse, make it look like they’d be taking a risk by taking you on. The stakes are too high. Find someone else.</p>
<p>No. The recommendation from every adcom - go to someone who you know will give you a good recommendation. Describing your flaws is not what they want to see.</p>
<p>I think using this story of how he was an inspiration is good, I think that’s very personally important to you. But like someone else said, he may not see it that way. So keep the story in mind but skip the rec.</p>