<p>First of all, the colleges that I've looked into require teacher recommendations by teachers teaching core classes. Would having a business teacher write my recommendation actually lessen/downplay my chances or will admissions even care? I know he will write me a fabulous letter with descriptions of my after-school activities. (My core-class teachers don't know my ECs.) Should I just risk it or just follow procedure and see what happens?</p>
<p>Perplexed one,
4deliverance</p>
<p>File the core academic teachers, as the colleges asked you, but then have the teacher who knows you for your EC's write a letter to them which he can call (in the letter) "a Supplemental Letter of Recommendation for XX(your name) (XXyour Social Sec Number).
They'll usually file it, and it, too will get read.</p>
<p>If you don't file core academic teachers, they'll assume you can't follow instructions and you have bad recommendations from core. </p>
<p>They need to know you can do schoolwork, hence the acad. core rec. requirement. That's basic. It doesn't matter if the core doesn't ever see you on your EC's. That's why I like to also send suppement.</p>
<p>If they receive the business teacher's form on their regular form,however, they can get busy and file it as your regular LOR (Letter of Recommendation) which will perhaps steam the AdCom when he gets to read it, thinking you tried to slip it in there. That's why to make the "Supplement" LOR on a regular letter form, with your name in the very first line. Write it all out for the teacher and emphasize to him to put your name & SS number near the top of his text. On the outside of the envelope to Admissions (give him one, addressed and stamped...) in the lower left corner fo the front of envelope, wrtie "Supplementary Letter of Recommendation."
Then phone in and make sure the office got all of that.</p>
<p>I agree with paying3's advice. Colleges want those core courses - English/history and math/science. It's a requirement. They usually will file one more supplemental letter, as well.</p>
<p>You can also include your own Activities List, briefly explaining your extra-curriculars, and you can highlight a favorite activity in an essay. There is also a school/counsellor letter, which can describe your activities. Be sure your high school counsellor has your list, and knows which ones to highlight in the school letter.
But don't leave out those letters of recommendation from your academic teachers. They are the most important to the colleges.</p>
<p>My son is studying Latin (homeschool for Latin) because his school does not offer this. Where we live(east-asia) Latin is not well known. We have a Latin teacher(prof) who comes and teaches. He is amazed at seeing my son doing so well. We are thinking about having his rec for one of the teachers rec and not as a suppliment. Do you think it is okay to have an outside school teacher rec? thank you</p>
<p>J mom,
I don't know the answer to your question, but was just imagining a Letter of Recommendation written in Latin!</p>
<p>Absolutely ask the teacher who knows you best. Don't worry too much about adding a third letter.</p>
<p>Also, if you are overseas, don't waive confidentiality.</p>
<p>To j mom - the safest thing to do would be to contact the admissions offices at the schools where your son is applying and ask them. Some schools are more strict than others in what they want to see. Sometimes this information is on the college's web site.</p>
<p>thanks all of you. My son is aiming for HYP and is interested in Latin and classics. I was told that these schools do not want many supplement letters. My son is planning to get two supplement letters from 1) community service adviser where he did volunteer work since 8th grade and 2) from a college prof where he was an assistant and did some research with. So now he has only the two teachers rec left. His Latin teacher loves my son and he doest want to waste this rec as an another supplement.<br>
If we get in touch with the admission office who would give us the sure answer? the admission officer?</p>
<p>to cheers- what do you mean by dont waive confidentiality and why? thanks so much all of you</p>
<p>D's 2 recommendations were from her physics teacher (2 years' of classes--he was also able to speak to her math skills) and her German teacher (3 years' of classes and most EC involvement with her via German Club and NHS). It hasn't seemed be a problem that only 1 was a "core" class. She naturally picked those teachers that knew her the best. She waived the right to see them, but both gave her copies of their letters.</p>
<p>J mom, If your S is interested in the Classics, be sure to have him add U of Chicago to his list of schools, as theirs is one of the best classics dept, and U of C is not as hard to get into for very bright students as is HYP . HYP is a "hail Mary" pass for 90% of even the most qualified students, and he will need matches/ safeties colleges as well.</p>
<p>If colleges just ask for "academic" recommendations rather than specifying "core" , that should include foreign languages. With your son's interest in pursuing classics as a major, it would make sense for this to be one of his regular recs. A quick call to the admissions office in question (if the info is not on the web site) asking if recommendations from a language instructor, such as a Latin teacher, would be appropriate for one of the two required recs, should help ease your mind.</p>
<p>Would having a business teacher write my recommendation actually lessen/downplay my chances or will admissions even care? I know he will write me a fabulous letter with descriptions of my after-school activities.>></p>
<p>The answer lies in your question. Colleges aren't looking for glowing comments about extracurriculars in the teacher recommendation -- they can find that information in other parts of your application. </p>
<p>What they DO want from a teacher recommendation is specific information about your ACADEMIC achievement and INTELLECTUAL potential and curiousity. </p>
<p>Now, perhaps the business teacher could talk about your intellectual capabilities convincingly, but Think about it --- if you were an admissions officer, would you be more inclined to put faith in what a teacher in a core academic subject had to say about a student's intellectual potential and curiousity or what a business teacher had to say? </p>
<p>Go with the teacher who can best talk about your INTELLECTUAL accomplishments and strengths.</p>
<p>If you really feel that your business teacher has something IMPORTANT to add to your application about your extracurriculars, consider asking him to write a supplemental recommendation for you, or to write a letter about your accomplishments to give to your counselor to quote from in his/her recommendation.</p>
<p>By the way, foreign language teachers are going to be fine for teacher recommendations 99% of the time. </p>
<p>Foreign language IS considered a core academic subject by every college and a recommendation from a foreign language or latin teacher would be fine as a primary recommendation at many schools IF the teacher can convincingly talk about the student's intellectual achievements, writing skills, analytical skills, passion for learning, etc. </p>
<p>It is, however, always a good idea to double check each school's individual requirements -- A few will ask for a recommendation from a teacher in a specific subject (i.e., an English teacher). </p>
<p>Business is considered an elective course, and a recommendation from a business teacher would therefore be viewed as less convincing. Some schools might accept such a recommendation, but it would almost always be a preferrable to send one from a teacher in a core academic subject.</p>
<p>carolyn nailed it. The best way to tell that a teacher won't give a useful recommendation is when they give you a sheet of questions to fill out that include your ECs and other attributes. All they're going to do, in that case, is reiterate what's already on your application. Admissions officers call these "standard strong" letters. They don't hurt you, but they don't help you, either.</p>
<p>What you really want is a letter that says you're the best or one of the best students the teacher has ever had. You also want the teacher to give examples of just how wonderful you are. Heck, I had a college admissions officer tell me that one of my children got into a school because one of the recs said she always greeted teachers in the hall, even though she was always surrounded by her friends and admirers.</p>
<p><em>Warning: generalization follows</em></p>
<p>Overseas teachers do not automatically write American-style 'soft-sell' recommendaiton letters.</p>
<p>Your son would do better to ask 5 teachers for recommendations--and specifically ask all to emphasize his positive attributes. He should not check the confidentiality box--in my opinion--and should review the letters before sending the best 3 attached to the rest of his application.</p>
<p>Confidentiality in college recs is overrated.</p>
<p>thank you all of you for your knowledge!!!</p>
<p>menoparkmom</p>
<p>I'm sorry about my short english but what do you mean by "hail Mary"? Do you mean it is really hard to get in to HYP if you major in Classics?</p>
<p>It is really hard to get into HPY period. They accept less than 10% of applicants, and those that get in usually are absolutely outstanding students. I'm saying that no student , even the most qualified, should think they have any more than an very small chance of getting in.</p>
<p>thank you for sharing</p>
<p>J mom:</p>
<p>"Hail Mary" is a colloquial phrase. It comes from American football. When time is almost out and a team is trailing and needs to win on one play, it usually throws a "Hail Mary" pass a long way downfield hoping something good will happen. In other words, it's a prayer.</p>
<p>The very tip top American schools not only take around 10% or fewer applicants, it is also very, very difficult to predict exactly whom they will take. If it were just a matter of academic record, prediction (theoretically) would be simple. But they also consider demonstrated leadership, service to others, and special talents or skills they bring to the university community.</p>