missj212

Okay, so the majority of the schools I am applying to use the Common App. Some of my schools require one guidance recommendation letters, some require two academic teachers, and others require 1 artistic letter. So, I gave my two academic teachers folders with my resume, a list of schools I need letters for, and stamped and addressed envelopes for each schools plus any forms that they might have needed to fill out. They all asked me for the envelopes, etc. So my question is, on the Common App, when I fill out their emails, when they get the email will they have the choice to print out any forms I couldn't print and since they already have the envelopes mail them in? Some schools I only need one teacher for, not the other so I'm worried my second teacher will get confused when she sees the email with schools she doesn't need to write letters for?! Ahh! I'm sorry for the confusion, but I'm so confused by this.

taylor11

miss j,

College applications are such a tedious and stressful process; this is a very good question!

It's okay to ask multiple teachers for letters but not use every letter for every application. High school teachers understand that different schools ask for different application materials, and they should be fine with not being included on every application. What is customary to do with letters of recommendation and is also easier in the long run is to ask your teacher to send you their letter and then you can send the letters to schools. This way, your teachers don't have the inconvenience of having to send them, and the schools are only getting materials from one source--you. Also, this way you have the opportunity to proofread the letters. I'm not sure what the forms are that need to be filled out, but if you could, you should send them to the schools yourself.

anu1995

do you know if they can send in forms after we apply on the common app or do they all have to be sent in at the same time? or does it depend on the college....? :/

taylor11

Yes, from what I know most to all schools accept materials such as letters of recommendation, transcripts, and sometimes essays after the common app is submitted. Just to double check, it would be a good idea to call your school's admissions department and ask which materials are accepted after the common app. This is a very good idea because it gives you a chance to ensure that the forms that need to be edited more are just the way you want them to be. If you have any more questions I'd be happy to try to help!

klutchscorer

Sorry, this may be slightly off topic, but is it ok to send common app recommendation letters through naviance to non-common app schools.

for example, wisconsin-madison wants a recommendation letter and they have their own online rec letter system but it also says I can send one to their office of admission. can I use my rec letter from a common app school and send it through naviance?

thanks

Times3

Hi guys, just chiming in as an experienced parent, high-school arts teacher, advisor, and writer of recommendations: do NOT ask our teachers to give letters to you to "proofread" as suggested above! This is a huge violation of confidentiality. If your guidance/college counseling office doesn't handle this for you (and they should), your teachers should know to give you the letters in sealed envelopes that they have signed across the seal. You should be signing a statement on the recommendation form and/or application saying that you won't read your letters anyway! Many schools use Naviance now, which links to the Common App, and teachers must submit our letters directly via that system. Please work wth your school counselor, who will help you make sure the right letters go to the relevant schools. Good luck!

idonotknow

Hi, I'm still very confused about how to send LoRs. So I already asked for LoRs from 2 of my teachers and my guidance counselor, and they're all done. But now I don't know how to submit them to my schools. I am almost done with my common app and I think I will start to send my common app to schools next week. I am applying to 10-ish schools. So I heard that after I send in the common app to the schools, I will "invite" my teachers and guidance counselor to fill in the teacher evaluation forms, correct? But I thought that I have to complete the first section before giving the form to my teachers?

Please tell me what to do. Thank you.

NJTheatreMOM

As I recall from a couple of years ago, you put the teachers' email addresses and names in your common app when you submit it, and they contact the teachers for the recommendations. Isn't that right?

Gwen Fairfax

Our school uploaded teacher recs to Naviance and directed which schools should get which ones. D signed the FERPA waiver saying she would not see the letters. Even the schools that don't use the common app were able to take the recs online (except one-- for that one D had the letters in envelopes, signed across the seal as Times3 says above.)

glassharmonica

My daughter did the common ap and her school doesn't have naviance. She just filled out the recommender forms and the teachers were automatically emailed. (One has still not responded, in spite of having agreed many times to write the letter in person. She has not even "started" the letter, even though my daughter has "resent" the invitation email. I think my daughter will need to pick a new recommender for that slot.)

EmmyBet

I think your D has good reasons to "resent" that recommender!

(A little college application levity ...)

idonotknow

I already submitted my teachers' names and email addresses to common app. What should I do next? I guess that the next thing is that my teachers will be receiving emails from common app, correct? And then will they just start to fill out the TE forms without me completing the first section (personal info...)?

Someone please help me. Thank you for your time.

glassharmonica

Lol, Emmybet! idonotknow, if you listed their names, then they received the notification instantly. You can log in and check to see if they have "started" their recommendations, or if they have completed them, and you can even see if the individual colleges have downloaded them. And if they have not started them, you can resend the notification.

idonotknow

glassharmonica, so if I haven't chosen my colleges yet, can my teachers still fill out the TE forms?

glassharmonica

Yes, I think once you list them as recommenders they get an email with the prompt. You can later go in and assign them to colleges.