<p>Hey, I'm looking to transfer as a sophomore to Upenn for next year. Currently, I am in a really big Canadian school. My smallest class is probably 200 people and my largest class goes to about 500-600 students. I was just wondering how important are these teacher recs in the admission process. It would be very difficult for me to get personal with a professor who has 1000 other students to take care of. I have great grades, ECs, and essay. Do these prof recs really matter that much? If so, is it possible to ask one prof rec and one rec from a high school teacher?</p>
<p>First, They matter A LOT and both recs need to be from college professors. That being said, the admissions department understands that a professor teaching in a lecture hall normally will not know his students that well. One common solution is to have a TA write a recommendation for you. you should ask UPenn first of course. </p>
<p>My advice: Go to office hours a lot. Choose the most friendly professors, and show an interest in the material in their classes. Participate in class as best you can, and go to office hours with well thought out questions. If you seem to be genuinely interested, the professor will enjoying assisting you. Don’t go and nag them thought ;). Engage the professor in other philosophical topics. Ideally over the semester the professor will get to know you as student and as a person. </p>
<p>Finally no high school teacher recs, unless you have an amazing reason and still it must only be a supplemental recommendation</p>
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<li>best of luck</li>
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<p>I purchased one of those how to get in guides, and it said that recommendations from TA’s would be totally understandable in ppl in your situation.</p>
<p>Since the profs don’t know you that well, introduce yourself during office hours. Or maybe after running into a really vicious problem or a confusing passage on the homework a try go up to them and be like, " Prof Y, my study group and I tried to figure this out by doing this and this but nothing seems to work. Could you teach me how to do it and give me some hints so I can go back and teach it to them?"</p>
<p>Just be really nice (courteous, engaging, getting the door for them, handing stuff out) and they will start to warm up. Once they do talk to them about your goals. Finally when it becomes time to start getting recs ask them if they would be willing to write stuff about you provided with a short resume of your time at the college and a laundry list of your skills.</p>
<p>Thanks so much! these suggestions are great, I will definitely try them!</p>