<p>I let this teacher who don't really know me write my recommendation... I don't even know if she said some negative things... (like quiet and don't participate a lot in class...) will this diminish my chance a lot? </p>
<p>Would any negative things that a teacher say basically ruin my chance?</p>
<p>I mean, colleges think you will have yout closest teacher write your recommendation... so if your teacher's recommendation says negative things, wouldn't they think that even your closest teacher can't praise you?</p>
<p>This teacher may not have written a 'negative' recomendation, but a lackluster one. Lackluster isn't necessarily bad, but it won't help your chances.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, did the other teacher(s) you asked to write your recommendations have better relationships with you?</p>
<p>This teacher may not have written a 'negative' recomendation, but a lackluster one. Lackluster isn't necessarily bad, but it won't help your chances.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, did the other teacher(s) you asked to write your recommendations have better relationships with you?</p>
<p>yeah. I already sent it in. I had to let that teacher write me one because the teacher I wanted rec from moved... I honestly didn't really know the teacher who wrote my rec. To make things worse, he has been teaching for a loonngg time, so I may seem even less impressive in his eyes...</p>
<p>the other teachers had better relationships with me. Except in one rec, the teacher mentioned I was shy. Other than that, her rec was pretty good...</p>
<p>What does it mean that a teacher that knows you really well? In my school, it seems as if all the junior year teachers are hard to approach... how strong a relationship between a teacher and a student is considered "knowing well?"</p>
<p>I hang out with some of my teachers during lunch (not for extra help), bake for their birthdays, babysit for my band director, and have a few teachers and guidance counselors in my cell phone's contact list. But I think I may be exceptionally close with some of my teachers compared to most kids.</p>
<p>That's the thing I fretted over when I was getting teacher recs, 123orange. I didn't know any of my teachers exceptionally well; I'm not the type to randomly drop by for a little chat. So I asked teachers who I thought would be familiar with my work ethic and character.</p>
<p>My teachers recently gave me copies of their recs for scholarship purposes, and they didn't turn out too badly. The one from my science teacher was all about academics, which was to be expected, but he used a pretty specific anecdote that I was surprised he'd kept in mind. I had had my other teacher for two years, so she knew me much better (plus, I participated way more in her class). </p>
<p>Even though she didn't use specific examples, she addressed my academic achievements as well as my enthusiasm for her subject and general attitude in class. Some of the things she wrote also pleasantly surprised me (again, I had no idea that teachers noticed some of the things she mentioned).</p>
<p>So even if you don't think your teachers know you well, you could turn out with pretty good recs.</p>
<p>I honestly don't think a teacher would write negative things about you for a college recommendation. What we fail to realize is that these teachers WANT us to get into college just as much as we do. They're not trying to fail us at life. And if they were really inclined to write negative comments, they would decline your request for a recommendation. Or a teacher with morals would at least.</p>
<p>well for one of my supplementary rec, my teacher gave me good ratings (top of career) but she also mentioned I was quiet... I was worried how that will offset my application considering that teacher knew me for 3 years...</p>
<p>I had teachers that told me to write my own rec, they'll read it over, make changes if necessary, and then sign it. Their laziness actually helped me.</p>
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I had teachers that told me to write my own rec, they'll read it over, make changes if necessary, and then sign it. Their laziness actually helped me.
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<p>No, a ghostwritten letter is a terrible one, and is incredibly easy for the adcoms to spot.</p>
<p>What "worked for you"? What top school have you been admitted to? If you're a good writer, you can write a good essay. The point of the LOR isn't brilliant writing.</p>
<p>hmm.. I had one pretty decent one... my teacher went to harvard and she did a little rant about my insight into blah blah blah... the other was rather apathetic... along the lines of goood, goood, goood, uhun..... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.... I felt like dying... then again maybe I'm just freaking out a little too much.... I never saw the letters... the TA told me.... GAHHHHH</p>
<p>Who are you to say that "most" LORs rarely "helps you", and that "most are neutral and generic"? Do you work at the admission office or something? I doubt that this is the case.</p>