My situation is kinda complicated… I’ve seen many threads saying using a rec letter from a college professor that taught you should be supplemental, and the primary 2 should be HS teachers. My situation is that I have 1 really good HS rec, and then the CC rec is definitely better than anything one of my HS teachers could write (one of best in 20 years of teaching etc). I also have a really good supplemental letter ask planned, from either an internship or research. Any advice? I am applying to Stanford/Princeton etc. if that gives any context.
Is your CC prof teaching you one of your core classes?
What is the course you are taking with the CC? Is it a dual credit core class that will be part of your HS transcript? If so, then I don’t see a problem using that recommendation. If it isn’t a core subject and some extra, I think it’s safer to get a second teacher from your HS.
Thanks for the replies. It’s a Calculus 3 course, so yes core subject. However, I asked my counselor to put it on my transcript, and she didn’t want to since it’s not being used as a grad req / to help me skip to a new math level in HS. If I asked again and sort of pressured it I could get in on the transcript, especially if I mentioned the LOR.
Not to bias this thread for the other side, but in the spirit of science I read something that might challenge those replies - MIT: “You should certainly ask a teacher who has taught you in an academic class in high school. Ideally, this will also be a teacher who knows you as more than just a student who does well on all the tests.” is it still fine? The prof does know me outside of class but only through some deep conversations about certain ideas in math and career prospects. He isn’t a great writer and as a result didn’t include anecdotes, but was extremely enthusiastic (as I had demonstrated in the post). My HS math teacher might know me more personally and be a better writer, but certainly not to the extent of “best student in 20 years.”
I think you could use the CC teacher even if the course isn’t on your transcript. Just be sure to include the Calc 3 class on your list of courses taken and send the transcript from the CC along with your HS transcript to every school you apply to (which you should do anyway).
If it can’t be put on the transcript perhaps your guidance counselor can mention you are taking Calc 3 at a CC as part of his/her letter of recommendation.
@happy1 Thanks a ton, will do. Do you think I should use an HS teacher for a few of the schools at all? For that matter, do you know of a way to use a non-Naviance teacher recommender on the common app? They don’t seem to allow it.
Talk to your guidance counselor.
I didn’t consider the logistics…so you need to work that part out if you use the CC professor.
my daughter used 1 high school teacher and 1 college professor from dual enrollment class. The high school teacher she had for both 9th and 10th grade. She didn’t take any high school classes after that. Neither the teacher nor the professor were core teachers but both taught classes related to her major. She got into all schools.
My daughter had to give her her high school guidance counselor a signed/sealed lor from the college professor which the guidance counselor was able to add to Naviance for all the schools that used naviance.
Oh I see, hopefully the prof wouldn’t mind sending that. I don’t see why an email wouldn’t have worked there though… I know it’s not very informative but do you mind me asking which schools she got into? Thanks!