asking for recommendations - Page 9

Hemp · 02-18-2008, 07:27 AM

To get letters of recommendation, timing is important. Ideally, go to 2 teachers near the end of your JUNIOR year; all of your classmates will be in the herd asking for their letters in October of their senior year. Then, blow their minds: hand each teacher their assignment after your request for a letter.

The assignment IS the IDEAL approach, which is to ask them to write an anecdote about a specific character trait that makes you look good, no, great. For example, if you play soccer with laser-focused determination, wouldn't it be cool if the teacher said that you bring that same focus into his classroom everyday?

And make sure the second letter doesn't refer to the story in the first. For example, you found $300 on the school grounds and handed in this money to the school principal. What kind of letter do you think you'll get from this episode? One that demonstrates your integrity. Wow! Two great letters that will look nothing like what your classmates will receive.

Narcissa · 02-25-2008, 04:11 PM

oh GAWD. i remember asking for recs for a summer program. a week later i asked for another one. and about a month later i asked for 3 more. same teachers. AOSJDFAJ;S

compwiz3000 · 03-21-2008, 06:28 PM

How many letters of recommendations are usually used? Which subjects?
Would it be useful to ask for a letter of recommendation from a math league advisor?

collegefan903 · 03-21-2008, 10:17 PM

I feel like it will be awkward to ask my teachers specifically, "Please write an anecdote about me in my rec..."
... it'd feel like i'm telling them what to write. Isn't that ... awkward? how do i go about doing this?

elizabethh · 03-21-2008, 10:36 PM

My D got terrific recs because she asked teachers who truly knew her. I think that's the key. Find someone early on and develop a relationship that goes beyond the classroom.

patellio · 03-22-2008, 11:48 PM

I got some pretty good recs from my teachers (both let me read them after they sent them in). I didn't give them anything except a list of deadlines, stamped/addressed envelopes, and the forms they needed to fill out.

The thing that helped me was that I've had my Spanish teacher for a year, she's the advisor the club I'm president of, and my sister and her have had a good relationship for about four years.

My other rec was from my physics teacher (I want to go into biomedical engineering). I got to know him not only through school, but also through a Solar Boat Build project that I was actively involved in. Him and six of us students went camping on the weekend of our boat competition.

General chemistry with you and your teachers will really help/allow them to write a fruitful letter of reccomendation to your colleges.

collegefan903 · 03-23-2008, 10:20 AM

wait, so you don't even have to give suggestions as to what to write about to your teachers when you ask them for recs?

explode · 03-27-2008, 06:55 PM

is it bad if teachers make lots of errors on your recommendations.....
.....
mine spelled my name wrong.

serenaxcheelam · 03-28-2008, 12:44 AM

i was so shocked when i realized that one of my teachers didnt send out any of the recs!!
i was so disappointed in her because i seriously thought that she was an awesome teacher, but i became so angry when she failed to send in anything after i asked her about it 4 more times, wrote her three reminder notes, and got her a thank you card (you knw, to play that little guilt game).
she could have screwed me over, but i worked it out with the colleges and other teachers and everything turned out ok.
i talked around and realized that it wasnt only me she was terrorizing with her little game!
I just dont understand; if you are not going to do the recs, then dont promise 50 kids that you are going to write them. she may be a superb math teacher, but she sure needs to learn something about the basic etiquettes of life.
so lesson learned. my sister knows not to ask her for a rec next year.

serenaxcheelam · 03-28-2008, 12:47 AM

i want to write a thank you card for a teacher who helped me do a rec last minute.
should i wait until the decisions come and then give on to him,
or should i just give him one now?
he wrote it for me mid February, but i havent given him anything--is it late?
he is my teacher now, and i have him two periods a day--perfect, huh?

khrushchevtm · 03-28-2008, 02:30 AM

Rec letters, hmm.
I gave them to my favorite teachers and handed them the common app sheet that went along with it (I only had them write recs for the colleges that requested them, though in hindsight every college would be a good idea).

I also handed them stamped and addressed envelopes. The ones I had easiest access to were our official high school envelopes so I guess they had a more "official" feel. And I didn't have to write the school's address so that saved me time.

At our school we have to fill out forms for our teachers to refer to when writing rec letters. This includes the name of the college, the date it's due (specified mail-by or received by), and other slots such as rank, best qualities, ECs, and a little box of what you'd like them to include. So the "resume" is pretty much integrated in the recommendation request form.

You're supposed to give them 2 weeks notice... I gave them to my teachers shortly after thanksgiving break and they were due January 1st. Not the best timing, but they were punctual. Those science teachers.
Choose teachers you can trust to turn the letter in on time. There have been horror stories.

I gave them little christmas/holiday gifts, a coffee mug, some homemade hot cocoa, a thank you note.

It's pretty simple if you have teachers that like you enough.

Bonus points if they teach a subject related to your intended major.

I'm going into Bioengineering, I had my AP Bio and Pre-AP+AP Chem teacher write me rec letters. The schools I applied to required 2; I sent 2. Done.

omarahmedkhan · 03-30-2008, 03:35 AM

Hey guys. I have a question for you.

A teacher of mine in the 11th grade taught me Physics and Math. He was'nt an official part of our school - I could say, an external teacher. He is an MIT alum and also likes me and appriciates my work. Do you think I can go ahead and ask him for a recommendation letter although he is not an official part of my school?

Or can I ask him to be my Education Counselor?

Thanks.

collegefan903 · 03-30-2008, 09:24 AM

are you supposed to give your teachers suggestions on what to write about when it comes to recs?

az1698 · 03-31-2008, 06:13 PM

There are tons of posts on College Confidential dealing with the quality of the applicants letters of recommendation. When asking for their chances, the thread starter normall says comething like:

LETTERS OF REC:
Amazing

My questions is this: What classifies as a amazing/ great letter of recommendation. What content should it have, and who should write it. Also, if anyone has any examples, please share.

cbulla21 · 03-31-2008, 06:15 PM

Nothing. Letters of Recommendations don't mean squat. Everyone has "amazing" recs. A letter of recommendation from Barack Obama, thats an amazing rec. A letter where your english teacher raves about you...not so amazing. On the whole, letter of recs don't matter (for undergrad). For Law School and Grad school they'll begin to matter.