<p>I was just looking at the Common Application Teacher Recommendation forms and they do not specify that the teacher recommendations HAVE to be given by 11th or 12th grade teachers? </p>
<p>Does that mean that I can ask the English teacher who taught me in both 9th and 10th grade (and knows me better than any teacher) to do them for me?</p>
<p>Colleges will list their requirements for teacher recs on their admissions webpage or on their application. It may require some searching, but do NOT ignore the requirements just because you are using the common app. The requirements hold true no matter what. That said, some colleges don't have requirements, but many recommend that the teacher is from 11th or 12th grade. And why ignore a recommendation?</p>
<p>Even if he/she knows you better than anyone and your colleges say nothing about grade level, I think I would hold back on asking that English teacher to write for you. Unless you have had regular contact with her since then, she won't know who you are NOW, which is what the college wants to hear. People change a lot in two years, and if they see a 9th and 10th level teacher on there, they may wonder what happened that you couldn't get any 11th and 12th level teachers to write for you.</p>
<p>Don't risk disobeying their recommendations. Ultimately, you will portray yourself in a much more positive light if you use teachers that have taught you in the past two years. Think hard about it, and I hope you will find some teachers who have known you more recently.</p>
<p>Well each college requires two recommendations, and I was planning on getting one from a 9th-10th grade teacher and one from an 11th. So it's not like they'll be wondering why I couldn't get 11th grade teachers.</p>
<p>Also, all the teachers that I can ask for recommendations are outside of my field of interest (my field of interest teachers are 12th grade and they barely know me well enough to write a good recommendation) -- is this a significant weakness??</p>
<p>Actually, I think they still might wonder why you couldn't get 11th grade teachers. I totally understand why you want to use this teacher, but I think it might hurt you more than it will help you. You can call the admissions offices of all your schools, if you want. I really do think that it would be best to go with two 11/12 teachers.</p>
<p>I don't think it matters if the teachers are outside your field of interest; but check the websites of every single college to make sure, because some require one math/science, one humanities (e.g. U Chicago), and some require them from "core" subjects that they usually explain (e.g. Amherst).</p>
<p>Yes, I have made certain that the recommendations do not have to be from 'core' subject teachers or specific fields (and for the ones that do, I have noted that too). I CAN get several 11th grade teachers to do a recommendation for me - but I think that they will certainly be lesser compared to the one specific teacher's. Also, I am extremely cautious when it comes to getting a 12th grade teacher - for due to the hurricane season we have missed an infinite amount of days and the teachers just know their students much less personally (also my classes are rather large). </p>
<p>I have searched websites -- such as the cornell.edu one and could not find a single instance of mentioning anything about teacher recommendations requirements. If you think it is best, I will email them and find out the answer.</p>
<p>Get the rec from your English teacher. Colleges say they recommend 11th or 12th grade teachers, but if you ask an adcom rep in person, they'll say that if your 10th or 9th grade teacher can provide more insight than an 11th or 12th grade teacher, definitely get the rec from the former.</p>