<p>I want to give my teacher plenty of time to write, but I also want him to have nice things to say about me from this year. I had him freshman and junior year, but this year I am a standout in a class of kids who don't care about the class. What's the latest I can wait for a rec and still apply early decision?</p>
<p>I would ask the teacher now. You can provide him with your “cheat sheet” and give hima timeframe for its completion. If he will be giving it to the guidance office to mail with your transcripts, etc then give him a deadline a week before your own ED deadlines. You want to allow him time to think about you and you don’t want to rush him. Also, you don’t want to be competing for his time with all the other students that did not ask him before sumer last year.</p>
<p>I would ask as soon as possible. But don’t ask him in the first few weeks of school, because those are generally busier times for teachers. He probably won’t complete the recommendation within a week of you asking him anyway (since he’ll probably be busy with school stuff, other recommendations, etc.) He’ll most likely be grateful if you give him a lot of time to complete it. In the meantime, just participate in class like usual and he’ll have lots of nice things to say when he actually does start writing it.</p>