<p>Hi, I’m a rising sophomore living in Mass. I just have a huge problem with my “future” application (Please don’t say, “you aren’t old enough to think about college yet.”) so I’m asking for your help.</p>
<p>I’m aiming for HYP, so I think that everything has to be perfect. (judging from the postings here) I don’t have a problem with my GPA, EC, courseload, etc, but I have some problem with teacher recs.</p>
<p>This year, I took 6 courses, and three of them put some (I think) really negative comments. For example, English and history teacher pretty much said, “He cares more about grades than about the lessons themselves” (they think I care about grades TOO much) and music teacher said, “he never practices.” Even if I do not get teacher recs from them, GC would read those comments, and I’m just afraid that my GC would put some of those on my GC report. What should I do? Does this matter a lot?</p>
<p>Your GC will usually try to present you in the best way possible. He or she will be honest, but will focus on your good qualities. Your GC wants you to succeed in the college app process. So (if those comments are true) I doubt that your GC will be going on about how you love to learn and care about your english and history lessons, but I’m sure he or she will have something else great to say. And try to show your future teachers that you care about more than grades so they will be able to write good recs. Colleges want students who want to be there, and they need to learn about you as a student aside from your grade. But if his and eng just aren’t your interests, and your other teachers love you and you enjoy other subjects, don’t worry about it. Esp since they were frosh year teachers.</p>
<p>Don’t care so much about the grades, or do and at least pretend to care about your teachers too. Participate lots in class with smart comments, then talk to the teachers after class about the lesson but also about other things. It’s all about appearances, sad but true.</p>