<p>Does anyone have an outline or a list of questions that could be answered and submitted to a teacher prior to them writting your college recommendation in order for the recommendation to be the best it can be (the teacher understanding everything about you, outside of what they already know)?</p>
<p>You could always give teachers a resume, listing your activities, your classes. It would also do good to remind them of events in their class in which you had shined. I don't know about questions though.</p>
<p>Usually schools have you fill out a "brag sheet" with your awards, special activities, personal traits that you value...etc. prior to you asking for recommendations from the teacher. </p>
<p>I would say if you don't have a brag sheet system, sit down with the teacher that you are asking a recommendation from and talk with him/her for a bit about yourself. Of course, the ideal situation is if the recommender already knew your merits and strengths, but this could suffice if you aren't sure whether your recommender knows your preferred "angle of approach" for the rec.</p>
<p>If you have already started filling out your applications (or at least are looking at applications), a smart thing to do would be to plan your application stats, essays, and recommendations as one complete package. Perhaps having each of those target different areas yet all have them say the same fundamental marketing points about yourself. </p>
<p>I've read some great recommendations and some poor ones and they make a huge difference. Make sure you get recommenders who know you, details about awards or things you have done, and it can go a long way. </p>
<p>I've talked to MIT Adcom before and how she determined whether or not you got in or not is if she can see a whole person. She didn't care about grades, an activity, or a score, she wanted to see a person. If so, you're off to the second round.</p>