For all schools that REQUIRE at least 1 Teacher Recommendation submitting from AP Psych teacher. Student is looking to major is Neroscience, Psych, PreMed depending on what the school actually offers. Teacher is also the advisor to a school club where student serves as President. Recco speaks to both the academic abilities and character of the student. This one is a no-brainer.
Here is where insight is appreciated—for schools that allow additional recommendation to be uploaded for this Neroscience/Psych/PreMed student (depending on what the school actually offers on the app/lets you click on) there are two options:
Foreign Language teacher who student has had all 4 years of high school and can speak to the growth of the student, academic achievement and character of the student. Yes, it’s a humanities class which many would agree falls in line/can be seen as falling under the same umbrella as AP Psychology. Student would say this teacher is like their “school mom” - it’s no doubt, a very nice compliment of the teacher.
AP Physics teacher who student had one year. Most students never ask him because most opt to take AP Environmental instead. Student had great academic success in the class and with sights set on majors like Neroscience/Psych/PreMed student (depending on what the school actually offers on the app/lets you click on) this is the only Science course the student took junior year. No issues regarding confidence in the letter that will come from him serving its purpose to paint a nice picture of the student’s academic achievement and character.
So - we know the rule of thumb 1 Humanities and 1 Stem. Do you feel the recommendation from the Physics teacher is the “must” submit? or Do you feel AP Psych has enough blend of Social Science/Basic Nero Anatomy to then be accompanied by the recommendation from the Italian teacher?
You are absolutely welcome to share your opinion that this entire post involves WAY TOO MUCH OVERTHINKING.
I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule to have one STEM teacher and one humanities teacher as recommenders, unless specified by a particular college. Just choose the teachers that know the student the best, can speak to their character, academics and contributions in class. And not everything needs to pertinent to the declared major, especially in the case of colleges that don’t even admit by major.
There’s no such rule unless the college specifies. I wouldn’t do 2 from the same discipline. Psych and Italian is fine; 2 Italian teachers would be avoided
This - have the two that know the student best. Give them a mini resume or brag sheet what shows what the student is doing out of class and which schools the student isinterested.
They need to write about the student - qualities, traits, etc. not about the major - so unless that teacher knows the student best I wouldn’t use them. This isn’t - it’s a great kid who will be a doctor one day letter.
Yes, the list has been made, apps submitted and none of the schools were that specific regarding subject of required recommendation. Surprisingly, no school required more than 1.
Plenty on the list wanted none. The ones that wanted one, of course the AP Psych was sent and ironically that was the one that was ready to go in EARLY August while the other two letters were first completed just this week.
Personally, I think go with the teacher that can speak to the student as a person, who knows him best. Recommendation letters are an opportunity to show another dimension. His transcript will speak to the academic achievement.
IOW, it doesn’t have to be from the hardest/highest level class (though it should be from a core subject).
The Foreign Lang teacher who student has known for going on 4 years now, through a wonky COVID freshman year, had a sibling for 4 years too so the teacher has pretty much been a part of the family for going on 7 years too will most certainly convey that additional dimension to an AO reading the file to better get to know this student without ever meeting them in person — which is the whole point of these letters.
There are a few situations where the college specifies a recommender from a higher level course taken recently. For example, Cornell engineering requires a recommendation from a math teacher who taught the student precalculus or calculus in 11th or 12th grade.
However, it appears that this is not applicable to the OP’s specific situation, since the OP checked each school’s recommendation recommendations/requirements.
Agree zero schools on the list were as specific as say, Cornell.
It’s nice when schools are direct in what they prefer to spend their time reading over.
It’s such a game these days that it’s as if maybe schools will use NOT being specific as a way to ding applicants and make their job easier to put apps in the maybe pile. Total speculation but it’s madness out there lately.
I think you’re overthinking this. A recommendation should speak to who the student is as a person and member of a classroom community, in my opinion. I don’t think AOs are out to “ding” anyone for using the “wrong” recommender. At highly rejective schools, only a few minutes are spent reading any single application. Your student should put his best attempt out there and then let go of overthinking about the process. Having some likely schools on his list that he would be happy to attend makes all of this water under the bridge once those apps have been submitted. Good luck to your student.
