<p>Just wanted to confirm that a guidance conselor recommendation is NOT required for Rochester. The website says it requires a letter from a “teacher or guidance counselor.” but I’ve been reading the CC posts from previous years, stating both are required. Could someone just confirm this for me?</p>
<p>Also… where is the online application for portable research grants? Or whatever the new name may be.</p>
<p>Finally, does anyone have any advice on the recommended graded school paper?</p>
<p>A counselor’s report is required for all applicants. This not the same thing as a recommendation letter. Your letter(s) of recommendation can be from a counselor or a teacher.</p>
<p>Portable Research Grants----there is no application on the web! PRG applications are by invitation only and offered only to the approx top 5% of URoch applicants. IOW, you can’t apply for a PRG unless you receive an application form from the PRG program director. Invitations to apply are sent out in March. </p>
<p>I don’t remember my D having to submit a graded school paper when she went through the application process 2 years ago. She did have to submit a writing sample for placement in the freshman writing program–but that came long after she was accepted.</p>
<p>Thank you Way Out West Mom! As always, super helpful… Any idea where I can find this guidance counselor form? The form I’ve run into looks a lot like a recommendation. This is just an issue for me, because I have only had this guidance counselor for one month! And for the past three years, I’ve had three different guidance counselors. There’s been a different one each year for various reasons in my schools’ administrations. I feel as if my current counselor does not know enough to evaluate me on what the common app form that I’m looking at is asking…</p>
<p> The applicants academic, extracurricular, and personal characteristics.
Relevant context for the applicants performance and involvement, such as particularities of family situation or responsibilities, after-school work obligations, sibling childcare,
or other circumstances, either positive or negative.
Observed problematic behaviors, perhaps separable from academic performance, that an admission committee should explore further.</p>
<p>It’s not uncommon for a guidance counselor to have little first hand personal knowledge of the student. The GC form can be supplemented with LORs from teachers/coaches/activities leaders who have better personal knowledge of the student.</p>
<p>Mike Conklin (a UR admissions rep who posts here on CC) addressed this issue in this discussion:</p>
<p>CLN592… The counselor form should be included on the Common Application website. Most often your counselor will write a brief letter of recommendation to supplement the report, though in particularly large institutions counselors are more apt to refer to letters of recommendation submitted by teachers. Unfortunately, many students are unable to form a relationship with their counselors for the reasons you have cited; an Admissions Counselor, I understand that this is often true and look to the teacher recs for additional guidance.</p>
<p>Also, a graded paper is not required, but we do take the time to read them if they are submitted. Most often students rely on the college essay as a representation of their writing skills and elect not to submit a graded paper, but if you have a graded paper that you are particularly proud of, I would not hesitate to submit it. </p>
<p>Though Portable Research Grant Applications are offered by invitation only, it is important that you mention in your application an interest in research and the PRG specifically. If a student is admissible and has explicitly stated their interest in the PRG, we are much more likely to send him/her a PRG application.</p>
<p>I hope that this information helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for all of your assistance! After reading this, amd speaking to my guidance conselor, I am feeling much better about the situation.</p>
<p>I am glad to hear it. Never be afraid to ask questions. If ever I were to offer one piece of advice to prospective students, it would be just that.</p>