How to ask for recommendations?

Applying to College Admission Stories
601

Ok well I have two teachers that are going to write me recs and also my guidance counselour, but I want to ask my boss* at work to write me one also. Should I??

*Btw my boss got into harvard and yale when he was in high school. He had a weighted GPA of 4.3, ACT of 28 and tons, I mean tons of leadership positions. He rejected harvard and yale though because he was extremely poor and no matter how much aid he got he could not afford to go. Instead he took a full ride to a school that was in state.

602

A recommendation from your boss is fine as a supplemental recommendation, as long as he doesnā€™t simply restate what your teachers will probably say. Your bossā€™s recommendation should not count as one of your teacher recommendations.

603

yeah he is just doin it from the employee perspective

604

Maybe I should write this on the Study Abroad subforum, but Iā€™m wondering about asking my teacher for a UCAS recommendation. At a limit 4,000 words, itā€™s supposed to be longer than most American recommendations, so I want to ask her as early as possible, perhaps on Tuesday when I go back to school, because itā€™s due on October 15th for me. Is that enough time for her to write it?
Another thing is that she has to predict what grades Iā€™ll get. She taught me Art History, and I got a 5 on it, got Aā€™s on every project, every test, the highest grade in all of the classes on many, so I donā€™t think sheā€™s have trouble predicting my grades in the Social Studies APs Iā€™m studying next year. Art History is a writing heavy subject, so she probably knows my abilities well enough in that area to predict my English scores, but Iā€™m taking two science APs, the Math II Subj test, and Chemistry subj test. I donā€™t now if she could predict those scores. I was thinking of giving her all my College Board scores from Junior year. So, my PSAT, my two SATs, my AP scores, my 3 SAT Subject tests in World History (taking the AP next year, so itā€™ll probably be helpful), Math II, and English. Is it okay to not give her my ACT scores? Iā€™m generally horrible at the ACT and I donā€™t think theyā€™re representative. My first time around at the SAT, my scores were wonky too: my Writing score was 150 points lower than both my PSAT and my second SAT. Is that a good way to go around UCAS recommendations? Sheā€™s one of my favorite teachers, perhaps the best Iā€™ve ever had, so I want her to write me some American recs too and I donā€™t want to mess up on this one.

605

I have a question here,

Iā€™ve transferred last year and I donā€™t know that much about the teachers and neither do they know me that well. My art teacher likes me a lot but Iā€™m not sure about the others. Moreover, our school doesnā€™t have a lot of projects so I couldnā€™t approach anyone with a solid achievement and make them brag about it. Is there anything that could be done in this case?

606

Are you a Junior? A Senior? Iā€™d surely have someone or two from your old school write a LOR.

607

I posted this in a separate thread, but it might see the light of day in here.

How much do additional recommendations help in the admissions process? Specifically, would they help for an Ivy League school? I plan on getting the required teacher and counselor recs, but I also would like to add one from my private art teachers and pastor.

608

i am closest with my APUSH teacher and my AP English teachers, but i am not very close with any of my math or science teachers, although i do perfectly fine in math/science. should i just just go with the 2 humanities teachers or just ask a math/science teacher to make it seem more balanced?

609

This might sound dumb, but Iā€™ve never understood this. When you ask for a recommendation, do teachers write one for a specific school or do they write a general one that can be sent to several schools? Iā€™m applying to 9 schools, so I donā€™t want to have to ask for recommendations for each of them.

610

I have a questionā€¦ does AP Psychology count as an ā€œacademic subject?ā€

611

ā€¦should I give a copy of my HS transcipt to a teacher who is writing my recommendation??

612

^ probably not, they usually want to look at your extricurriculars a lot more than your academics at school.

I was thinking of making stuffed animals as gifts after my teachers are done with their reccsā€¦ but I think itā€™ll be too girly for the male teacher, haha.

613

To T26E4,

Iā€™m a senior but I not really sure how would I contact my other teachers in my previous school because none of them know English.

To Holymakerel,

Thanks for the advice, I should post this somewhere else. However, I not applying to any ivy leagues but only ucs and lacs.

614

I went with science and social studies even though Iā€™m majoring in Business. Nothing wrong with that I hope?

615

First off, start talking to your professors more frequently. Get to know your professors outside the dynamics of student/teacher. They arenā€™t superhuman, theyā€™re human too. Just chat it up with them for a bit. Do it on a genuine note tho, this isnā€™t to manipulate them. Sprinkle questions that you have for the course in there. Do well in their course. After the semester is over ask if they need a TA/Tutor. Professors are always looking for TAs/Tutors. If they donā€™t need a tutor, simply ask them when chatting them up. Professors are professors because they WANT to HELP the STUDENTS SUCCED. In other words, they will do everything in their power to tip the scale in your favor; so long as it doesnā€™t conflict with their morals. (ie. You got a C in the class and expect a Recommendation. )

616

which teacher should I choose?
A) AP english teacher (I asked for a rec last year), I got an A in the class but there was definitely smarter kids, she would be a great writer, donā€™t really know what she thinks of me, only got a 3 on the exam
B)foreign language teacher Iā€™ve had for 3 years, always got A+s(no honors level available), not the hardest class though, not many bright kids in the class, he likes me well

617

If my employer would like to write a supplement for me, how should I submit it on Common application? Thank you

618

I am an international student . My school does not have a counselor currently . I need to explain to the AdComs the reason my grades dipped during Grade 11 and Since I do not have a counselor , my class teacher who knows me from 4 years has agreed to write a letter . Since she is not good with English or any writing skills , she has told me to write a letter and the she will read it and sign it only if she approves of it .

This letter is the only chance of me getting in to a good college and only a very good letter would convince the adcoms to give me a second chance .

I have a tremendous upward trend in my grade 12 .

The reasons for poor grades were a mixture of : -

1)Sisterā€™s marriage
2)Grandmotherā€™s death
3)Chicken pox
4)Grade Deflation

To prove all this I only have an attendance rate of 68% .

Can someone write it for me ? . I really need help from you people (please don;t say NO , as I am counting on you people !)

Unweighted GPA - 3.06 (Grades 9-11)

Grades -

Grade 9 :-
English - A-
Hindi - A+
Maths - A-
Science with practicals - A+
Social science - A+

Grade 10 :-
English - B-
Hindi - B+
Maths - B+
Science with practicals - A+
Social science - B+

Grade 11 :-
English - B-
Maths - D+
Physics - C+
Chemistry - D+
Economics - B-

Grade 12 (worked my ass off , all A+ in mid term exams ) :-
English - A+
Maths - A+
Physics with practical - A+
Chemistry with practical - A+
Economics - A+

E.C - Prefect Grade 11 , Did 50 hrs community service , computer club , vice captain badminton team , a few debate competitions , Model United nations , a disciplined and well behaved student .

It would be really helpful if some one would help me out !

619

Do you fill in the cover letter online and print it out? or do you print it out and then fill it in by hand?

620

Iā€™m applying ED to Columbia and all it says is that the teachers have to have taught you in an academic disciplineā€¦ it doesnā€™t specify when. So theoretically could I ask my english teacher from 9th & 10th grade to write my rec? I get good grades in my current teachers class but I just donā€™t have the same connection with him.