What do to about Recs

Mary.loves.you
Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:32:52 +0000

Definitely the math teacher. Someone who knows you well can definitely write a letter that’ll add more to your application than a generic letter.

Consider these (somewhat extreme) examples:

Teacher who doesn’t know you well
“Jimmy is a very studious young man. He always does his homework and is consistently on task. He has excelled in my class, and I would expect him to do the same at your university.”

OR

Teacher who knows you (at least somewhat) well
“It has been a joy to get to know Jimmy these past two years. I have seen him excel not only as a student in my class, but also as a friend, classmate, and a young man… He may not be a math major, but the determination and commitment he has shown – both in and out of the classroom – make me confident that he will succeed in whatever field he chooses.”