Recommendation issue: Teacher has breast cancer

Applying to College
1

<p>The teacher who would write me the best recommendation was diagnosed with breast cancer last spring, and is currently on extended leave because of it. We were pretty close, since she was my NHS sponsor and I was a TA in her class last year. She was also my English teacher sophmore year, and she knows me really well. I think she would want me to ask her anyway, but I had a couple questions about the special circumstances. </p>

<p>Could I ask her to write just one recommendation? I know a lot of colleges, especially the selective ones, strongly encourage you to use their recommendation forms. I would really prefer not to ask her to write more than one, since she’s still undergoing treatment for the cancer. I’m planning on giving her the Common Application form, but how should I explain the circumstances to other colleges? I don’t want them to think I’m lazy, or that I didn’t care enough about the college to use their form, but I also don’t want them to think poorly of me for asking her to do this in the first place.</p>

2

<p>how many schools are we talking about here- aren’t most of the forms pretty similar?</p>

3

<p>Virtually all teachers write just one recommendation per student, and that then copies of that one recommendation are sent to all of the colleges that students apply to. That’s why if you look at recommendation forms, they allow teachers to use that form or to send a letter. If teachers did individual recommendations for each college each student is applying to, each teacher would have to write hundreds of different recommendations, which of course is not possible.</p>

4

<p>So I just ask her to write a letter of recommendation? What about the recommendation forms? Do colleges care if you don’t use those?</p>

5

<p>Colleges understand that teachers and other doing recommendations have lots to do and understand the To Whom it May Concern thing and it is just fine, the forms are for convenience…a letter is just fine</p>

<p>you teacher will know what to do</p>

<p>and be sure and send a thank you note and perhaps this might be a good time to get some kids together and walk in her honor at a breast cancer event</p>

6

<p>It doesnt matter what you use. If its a rec on school letter head it would do too. The colleges just want a rec.</p>

7

<p>Ask her, and let her decide what to do. My guess is that she misses teaching and her students, does have some time, and would love to write even a few rec’s, even if some are online and some are not.</p>

<p>When she is done, pay her a visit with some friends on a chemo day or something.</p>

8

<p>I’m wondering if there’s a limit on the length of recommendation letters. I’m an int’l student and my teachers have never written such letters.</p>

9

<p>Normally, recc letters are no more than 1 page long.</p>