So I have some really great relationship with a couple of teachers and they said they would be happy to recommend me and it’s a good thing too, because being in the gifted program I really only have like 3 teachers. Basically I have asked and require letters of rec for every teacher I have. It’s great because they know me very well and like me a lot. It’s less great because if something were to go wrong with a teacher and I, then I would be very hard pressed to find a replacement.
I asked them at the beginning of September and they were happy to write it for me, yet now 4 days before the deadline I can see that it has not yet been started and I feel as though my emails and inquiries on it are being ignored. I am trying to be as polite as I can, he is also the principal of our high-school and I know also that I am in a precarious position because if he doesn’t write it, then who will I ask so close to the deadline? I literally don’t even know any other teachers in my school.
So any advice on this?
From your post it is difficult to discern whether all 3 of the teachers that you asked for recommendations from have not done this yet. Is the problem only the one teacher who is also the principal?
At any rate, my advice is this. Go directly to the person you are asking in the morning before school, during the school day, or after school, and remind them of the upcoming deadline. Then ask them if they are able to write a good recommendation for you. If yes, you are fine. If no, find someone else who you believe would write you a good recommendation. Do it in person.
The problem is that they are nearly impossible to find right now because of midterm schedule. I am only having issues with this one, the counselor rec is complete, I think and the other teacher completed theirs.
Nearly impossible is not impossible and clearly you need to make contact with the principal soon since there is a deadline involved. You can leave a handwritten note for him in the school office, send an email with a header that indicates upcoming deadline or find him in person.
The solution is at hand.
TODAY speak to your guidance counselor. Ask him/her what to do.
Realize to that you have a bit of grace period after the deadline. The deadline is for YOU and those materials you control like your application. If a letter of rec is delayed by a few days or a week, all it does is slow down the review of your application until your file is complete. That isn’t to imply that you don’t follow up in person with the late responder - but you also don’t need to be concerned that you will automatically be rejected if the letter isn’t there on the due date.
I talked to him and he seems to be happy to do it, so that’s good!