<p>I have a very strong-willed personality, and in my CA essay I talk about how my open-mindedness and stubbornness co-exist. This is very very true and I did not make anything up. However, I am not certain that my teacher’s recommendation letters will reflect this. Because I have never formed very very strong relationships with any of my teachers. I participate a lot and ask questions, and go in for extra help, and occasionally chat it up with them, but never have I had a teacher as a “mentor.” I’m afraid that admissions officers will think that my CA is not an accurate reflection of me. HELP! D:</p>
<p>The person that can give you most accurate reflection of you is YOU. Other people’s opinions only help strengthen that you are acting and portraying yourself to others the way that you think you are. And almost always you are. In the cases that you are not or that a person has a different interpretation of you is when there might be conflicting arguments. Just because this happens doesn’t mean that you will be in trouble admissions-wise (assuming that you are in fact telling all the facts straight), it just means that the admission officers will see that you give off a different persona in school (specifically that classroom) than what you truly are. To sum this up is into one sentence: You essays will trump your recommendations in the sense of personality.</p>
<p>Although it would help to make strong connections with teachers during your time at high school.</p>
<p>Thanks! That was really helpful</p>
<p>Here is a little suggestion that might be feasible. If you think your teachers don’t really know you well, perhaps you could ask to meet with one or 2 of the ones you are asking to write your letters of recommendation to get some advice from them about colleges. This is also a time to chat on a more personal level. Maybe one of them would be even willing to proof read your college essay? (Then they can get to know what you think about yourself.)</p>
<p>Your teacher recommendations are not designed to repeat what you’ve written in your essays. Few teachers would know enough about their students to be able to write that one is both “open-minded and stubborn.” Their charge is to write about your academics, your intelligence, your work ethic. They can say whether you are a good writer, a good problem solver; a leader in class discussions, make insightful comments, etc. </p>
<p>If you’re a workaholic perfectionist, if you never participate in class, if your writing is mundane, if you do only what’s necessary to get by – that’s the type of stuff to worry about in teacher recommendations. </p>
<p>The admissions office is not going to read a teacher evaluation and your essay and wonder why the teacher didn’t say the exact same thing as you.</p>
<p>It sounds like you have good relationships with your teachers – honestly, you are creating a problem in your head.</p>