<p>This is a fairly stupid question...</p>
<p>How do I make sure a teacher likes me? </p>
<p>I think this teacher likes me and she agreed to write a rec for me. But I have a feeling I ****ed her off at least one during the entire school year. I'm just worried that she might be holding a secret grudge against me, and only agreed to write this rec to make sure i DON'T get into college...</p>
<p>I'm prob. paranoid... but I really need suggestions.</p>
<p>Someone please read this!!!!</p>
<p>dont worry, if your teacher destroys your college app with a bad rec letter, thats another place for me at the uni that you're applying to, fellow class of '09er.</p>
<p>its fine, all teachers...ALL...there are no exceptions because this is rule number 1 at teacher school, know that even the best, brightest, and most intelligent student of theirs is still a teenager, and still has those crazy teen age hormone swings that they are just so dang prone to.</p>
<p>you got answers the second time you posted the same question. They've answered your question already. The thing is, since there are two rec letters, if there's a huge disparity, they'll probably notice.</p>
<p>what if it's more than just a mood swing....</p>
<p>basically my question is:</p>
<p>would any teacher go as far as recking a student's rec just to keep him out of college because she hates him so much.</p>
<p>what happens if they notice the huge disparity?</p>
<p>I'll quote Loren Pope:</p>
<p>"Myth Sixteen: A bad recommendation from a teacher or counselor will ruin your chances of getting into a good college.</p>
<p>It cannot if what the teacher or counselor says is not true, and sometimes even if it is true. So parents, don't be afraid: criticize the bad teacher; take a stand against the injustice or the stupidity. Too often a bad school problem goes uncorrected because parents fear that complaining will imperil their child.</p>
<p>One negative opinion running counter to the general estimate of a student won't hurt him any more than one bad grade, probably less. The admissions director is going to look at the whole picture. If there is a teacher conflict and a bad grade, or the prospect of a bad recommendation, deal with it honestly, putting all the cards on the table in the application. That will do two things: impress the admissions director because there's nothing so refreshing and winning as candor, and help take the steam, if any, out of the negative comment, particularly if it is unwarranted.</p>
<p>Remember, admissions directors are sensible people aware of failings in teachers as well as in students, and they don't believe everything they read. As one of the Little Ivy admissions directors said, "I always apply the filter factor." "</p>
<p>thank you!!! I'm sorry for being such a pest, but it was really bugging me. </p>
<p>dchow08: your last post really helped ease my worrying. i suppose as long as my 3 other recs are good even if this one isn't consistent it wouldn't matter...</p>
<p>3 OTHER RECS, what kind of schools are you applying to, if they ask for 2, givem 2, or maybe 3 if its from a coach or an employer, but 4 academic recs will be useless.</p>
<p>Generally you should be asking teachers who know you a little more than just being a student, or a teacher who has had you more than one year. </p>
<p>If the teacher agreed, they most likely will be writing you a positive rec. They probably would have said no if they "hated" you.</p>
<p>I applied to a govenors school, and to make sure the teachers liked me, I went up to them and said "Hey Mr. _______, I was wondering if you felt comfortable writing me a reccomendation to a school. I would really appreciate it, but only if you feel like you have time to represent me. Thanks so much.</p>
<p>Then I wrote a thank you note.</p>
<p>2 teachers' recs, 1 college office rec, and 1 from my mentor (out of school). I think this is the recommended # for all the schools...</p>
<p>I know someone who was on the alumni scholarship committee for a well-known U and they regularly received letters of "rec" for the full-tuition scholarship that raked the kid over the coals. So not every teacher who agrees to write a letter is going to write one that is favorable.</p>
<p>In the book "The Gatekeepers" in which a reporter for the NY Times followed the admissions committee at Wesleyan (a top LAC) for a year is a real-world example of a bad rec.
[quote]
There were times, I must admit,that I thought Tiffany might have taken a stronger interest in mastering the material in our course. When I saw that Tiffany was a National Merit Semi-Finalist I was a bit surprised. While clearly bright and competent, I had seen in Tiffany neither an exceptional skill for testing nor a particular affinity for the subject.
[/quote]
This could have been avoided if the teacher had been asked if they would write a strong rec. When you ask for a req you're asking the teacher to write their honest opinion; if there's a teacher who doesn't like you for whatever reason it may give them great joy to savage you. That's why its important to ask the teacher if they'd feel comfortable writing a favorable rec so that you know their honest opinion will be positive. The student above, BTW, did not get in.</p>