Teacher Rec Question

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>Hello all!</p>

<p>I am applying regular to Stanford, and have a question about the teacher recommendations. I go to a public school where teachers pretty much just write a recommendation for you and wash their hands of it. They do not use the common app for, but there is some sort of generic school form that the teachers use- it has a checklist for rating various aspects of character, and then a narrative part. However, there is no way that I am going to be able to get teachers to fill out any unique college reference forms that various colleges have (most notable Stanford, Yale (applied EA), and Princeton). </p>

<p>I emailed Stanford and asked this same question, and they responded, "Stanford requires that teachers use our forms for the recommendation letters, sorry."</p>

<p>I asked my guidance counselor, and she told me that if I give them the unique forms, they will staple the already written recommendations to the forms. This is probably the most I am going to be able to do, there is simply no way that the teachers at my high school are going to be willing to fill out an 5-9 separate rec forms for each of the schools I apply to.</p>

<p>Is anyone else having this problem, or does anyone else have past experience with it? I don't want my applications to be voided because of something so stupid as the teacher rec forms.</p>

<p>Thanks, any input is much appreciated!</p>

2

<p>I kind of had the same problem, my counselor would write me anything!!! For a few days, i thought i was screwed!!! but it's not that bad, it's just one letter. don't worry about it, i think the admissions are going to understand. Duquesne EA, stanford RD :)</p>

3

<p>I had the same problem since my high school is huge (around 3000 people) and they have their generic form for all application forms, such as midyear, secondary report, teacher recs, counselor recs, etc.</p>

<p>However, I did get my teachers and counselor to rate me by using Stanford's specific checklist. But they didn't answer the questions and only wrote a letter (which is fine, cuz i asked the adcom herself).</p>

4

<p>It is OK to attach that generic letter to the Stanford form. (Just fill out the info on the form.) If they don't want to rank you it's still fine.</p>

5

<p>can you just use the common app form so that you don't have to get your teachers to fill out different forms? (stupid question probably)</p>

6

<p>You have to have the Stanford form with all student and teacher info filled out (you can do that part, so the teacher does not have to). The teacher can attach generic letter (or common app form, if you want) to that form.</p>