Teacher Rec Too Similar?

<p>One of my teachers who wrote a recommendation for me gave me a hard copy of the rec today. He was my teacher junior year for APUSH, and I do think that I did well in his class - he called me his favorite student and one of the best he's ever had. However, my friend and I compared the recommendations he wrote for us (solely out of curiosity) and they were almost identical. Word for word. Only a sentence or two discussing our ECs were different. It's scary/sad because we are very different in terms of personality and learning style.</p>

<p>The recommendations he wrote us were stellar, but I'm frightened that admissions officers will notice how similar they are and question his reliability. The teacher told me while giving me the hard copy of the rec that he used a formula but that he meant every word of it when it came down to me - unfortunately, I doubt college admissions officers will be able to discern that.</p>

<p>Thoughts? He's already submitted the rec through common app and my colleges have downloaded it, so there's nothing I can do. Just curious about how this will affect my friend's chance and my chance because we're both applying to all the Ivies except HYP as well as some other very competitive schools.</p>

<p>It seems generic then. If he used a formula it really didn’t tell anything about you. If you can get another letter of someone who knows you better.</p>

<p>Yup. A letter of specific memories and instances will do you far better than a letter of stellar generalities. If you can find another teacher at this point in the game, I would do it. If you haven’t submitted your apps yet, I would go so far as to reassign him on the common app, particularly because you don’t really want a letter of generalities-- it’s not going to help.</p>

<p>Most teacher recs are pretty formulaic because they write about a bazillion each year. Do not worry about this. In most cases the adcoms don’t have time to read the details either. Send it and be done.</p>