teacher recommendations - HELP!

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I'm a homeschooled student and I'm applying to college this year. I have a strong application overall, with 10 APs, 3 SAT IIs, an SAT, ACT. I have good test grades - 4s and 5s on the APs, 750+ on all my SATs, a 2250 on the SAT, and a 34 on my ACT.</p>

<p>The problem is with my teacher recommendations...I don't have anyone. Really, nobody. I'm applying in November, so I figure I have 7 months to get 3 good letters. What should I do?</p>

<p>I was thinking get a science and english tutor and have them write rec's...what do you think?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>bump bump bump</p>

<p>kr0nnik, if you are homeschooled, then how the heck can you have recommendations from teachers? I don't think colleges will expect you to have teacher's recommendations if you are a homeschooled student. My guess is that you can get recommendations from other people, like an employer or a professor at a summer program you did at some university, your priest/imam/rabbi/pastor/reverend/minister, an alumnus who knows you, etc. This would be your equivalent to teachers' recommendations.</p>

<p>kr0nik, it sounds fine to get them from your tutors, HOWEVER--I don't know that much about the procedures for Homeschooled kids. There is a place where you can find that out though--I am sure the folks over on the Homeschooling forum will be more than happy to help you out in all your endeavours. Head over there--they will know a ton more than any of us. Good Luck :).</p>

<p>Colleges have different requirements for homeschoolers, so there is no general answer to this question. Each school's website should have information for homeschooled students. If it is not readily available in the admissions section, then run a search on the website. </p>

<p>When you say you could get tutors, do you mean you don't have them? If so, you can't hire a tutor and have him write a recommendation for you in seven months. Your letters (where are you getting the number three from? Do you have specific schools in mind?) should come from someone who has known you for longer than that; it is much more favourable to have someone who has watched you grow. Someone who has known you for only half a year will not be looked upon with great favour. Most of the recommendations I have seen that are asked for from people other than teachers have a minimum time of acquaintance, which is always over one year and sometimes over two.</p>

<p>I have heard that at Harvard there's a whole, entire person on the Admissions Committee who handles homeschooling applications.
See if there's any info on their website about how they handle Letters of Recommendation for their homeschool applicants.
If there's nothing, perhaps you can contact the admissions office and ask how you'd handle it IF you were applying to Harvard.
Then follow suit, no matter where you apply.</p>