<p>What is really the point of LORs? Since you select the teachers, you are obviously going to pick the ones who will give the best image of you. They are thus some kind of advertisement tool. But then, what do the adcoms really learn from them? If I wanted to know all aspects of a product, I would obviously not ask the advertising agency for that product.</p>
<p>Have a read
[MIT</a> Admissions | Info For Schools & Counselors: Writing Evaluations](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/topics/schools/writing_evaluations/index.shtml]MIT”>http://mitadmissions.org/topics/schools/writing_evaluations/index.shtml)</p>
<p>And you’re fooling yourself if you think that every rec letter is a sparkling endorsement. Just not so.</p>
<p>Yeah, you’d be surprised what you can read between the lines. Or, even what they’ll say outright. Pick teachers who not only like you and are relevant to your major, but also have some experience doing these letters.</p>
<p>still, the very fact that you can pick the teacher and maybe build a special relationship with him targeted at inducing a better image of you is bound to distort the vast majority of recommendations. In fact the LOR will give an idea of the better you not the real you. I am sure the adcoms know that LORs are skewed. Even if not all of them are skewed, the fact that some are and that there is no obvious way of distinguishing them, takes any credibility out of them. So what is the point ?</p>
<p>There is no point farfalla. It’s all a test to see how willing you are to jump through mindless hoops. Make a statement and don’t send any. You’ll catch their attention for your bold statement.</p>
<p>Again T26E4, as stated in my other thread to which you replied, my point is not to challenge or ridicule the admission process so, please do not respond harshily to me. If my questions bother you, I apologize.
I just would like to understand how the admission officers treat a LOR because they cannot ignore the inherent bias in them. I suppose if a letter is negative about a candidate, it would raise serious concern but I guess most of them are advertisement for the student.</p>
<p>In most cases it’s probably pretty easy to discern between a meaningless copy-and-paste recommendation and a genuine recommendation. Specific examples of the student in action are probably a good sign.</p>
<p>Nearly all letters mention the “student in action.” Adcoms look for the quality of those actions and the level of excitement about the kid. There really isn’t much unique to say about a hs student’s experiences- you do the class work, have a talent for the subject, ask pertinent questions, help confused peers, participate in ECs. On the other hand, if your teacher can mention, with enthusiasm, something you started or took exceptional responsibility for or how you were the reason the team won brain bowl…but these are dependent on the student, not gaming the teacher. And, it still depends on the teacher’s ability to write a good rec.</p>
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<p>Wow, you must think your teachers are really shallow and gullible. As a teacher, I find that kind of insulting.</p>
<p>And if people are getting short-tempered with you, the reason is probably that you ask questions, but as soon as people with knowledge and experience answer, you gainsay what they’ve said. If you don’t give serious consideration to the statements made by people who have been interested in the college-admissions process longer than you have, you will open yourself up to sarcasm, if not to outright ridicule.</p>
<p>It is certainly not my intention to insult anyone, and if you felt so, I am sorry.
The thing is that in my school I see a few kids really building a special relationship with the teachers. Also, there are so many special kids such as teacher’s children or the principal’s children, or the teachers friends children or the donor’s children etc. Aren’t the LOR for these kids biased ?They shouldn’t but I suspect they are somehow.</p>
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<p>You have no way to know. I doubt that they’re biased, but even if they are, there’s nothing you can do about it. It does you no good to fret over this issue.</p>
<p>Worry about things that are within your control. If you want to be a competitive applicant, you should be working on essays and using your time productively this summer. This issue just isn’t worth the time and attention you’re giving it.</p>
<p>Having worked in an admissions office, I can tell you that we don’t read these letters in order to see which teacher writes the most glowing letter. Rather, what you’re looking for is someone who can give insightful observations of the applicant. A teacher knowing you, who takes time to write something personal and unique and who gives an honest assessment is much better than a writer who just piles up positive adjectives.</p>
<p>Also, many writers damn with faint praise or otherwise make it plain that they do not really know the applicant.</p>