Do MCPS teachers check ratings boxes on Common App Letters of Rec?

[Anonymous]

Any HS teachers here? Do the teachers check all the boxes rating the kids (top 1%, average, etc.) on the college Letters of Recommendation form for the Common App? Or have they been advised not to? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Not sure exactly what you are asking. Yes, the teachers have to complete check boxes with student ratings in the Common app, in addition to the letter. You can't skip it.

[Anonymous]

School counselor here. Yes, we fill the forms out as instructed.

[Anonymous]

Parent here. I didn't realize (or I guess think about there being) check boxes.
Are they:
Top 1%
Top 10%
Top 25%
Top 50%

?

[Anonymous]

Since MCPS doesn’t do class rankings, it’s so subjective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent here. I didn't realize (or I guess think about there being) check boxes.
Are they:
Top 1%
Top 10%
Top 25%
Top 50%

?

I don’t remember but it’s just one teacher’s subjective ranking of the student - not class standing.

[Anonymous]

Counselor here. I only complete the required questions. In the Common App/NACAC counselor forms, there are a couple I happily skip, because I hate being asked to compare students to their peers. We are required to answer the question of how strongly we recommend a student. I always select "enthusiastically recommend" (except on the rare occasion I have serious reservations).

The Georgetown form is tough. OP, I wonder if this is the form you're filling out. So many subjective questions asking us to compare students to their peers. These questions are required, so I answer them, but it's so frustrating. I usually ask myself, "What are the traits I admire most about this student?" Then, in all those categories, I select "top 1% in my career." I go with the second best option for almost everything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since MCPS doesn’t do class rankings, it’s so subjective.

It's subjective anyway because the question isn't how the student is ranked via GPA, it's how they do in the recommender's own class.

I teach an elective, imagine dance or ceramics. The kids who I would describe as "top" may have some overlap with the kids who would be highest ranked if our kids do class ranking, but I have plenty of kids who excel with me who don't with other teachers, whether due to interest, or talent, or a disability that gets in the way in math class but not with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Counselor here. I only complete the required questions. In the Common App/NACAC counselor forms, there are a couple I happily skip, because I hate being asked to compare students to their peers. We are required to answer the question of how strongly we recommend a student. I always select "enthusiastically recommend" (except on the rare occasion I have serious reservations).

The Georgetown form is tough. OP, I wonder if this is the form you're filling out. So many subjective questions asking us to compare students to their peers. These questions are required, so I answer them, but it's so frustrating. I usually ask myself, "What are the traits I admire most about this student?" Then, in all those categories, I select "top 1% in my career." I go with the second best option for almost everything else.

So you basically take an important tool for admissions and make it worthless by treating all candidates the same? Just more MCPS grade inflation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Counselor here. I only complete the required questions. In the Common App/NACAC counselor forms, there are a couple I happily skip, because I hate being asked to compare students to their peers. We are required to answer the question of how strongly we recommend a student. I always select "enthusiastically recommend" (except on the rare occasion I have serious reservations).

The Georgetown form is tough. OP, I wonder if this is the form you're filling out. So many subjective questions asking us to compare students to their peers. These questions are required, so I answer them, but it's so frustrating. I usually ask myself, "What are the traits I admire most about this student?" Then, in all those categories, I select "top 1% in my career." I go with the second best option for almost everything else.

Thank you. I’m talking about the Common App teacher one that has all the subjective ratings comparing to peers in numerous categories. Sounds like it might not be required? Do teachers typically check those boxes or skip?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Counselor here. I only complete the required questions. In the Common App/NACAC counselor forms, there are a couple I happily skip, because I hate being asked to compare students to their peers. We are required to answer the question of how strongly we recommend a student. I always select "enthusiastically recommend" (except on the rare occasion I have serious reservations).

The Georgetown form is tough. OP, I wonder if this is the form you're filling out. So many subjective questions asking us to compare students to their peers. These questions are required, so I answer them, but it's so frustrating. I usually ask myself, "What are the traits I admire most about this student?" Then, in all those categories, I select "top 1% in my career." I go with the second best option for almost everything else.

So you basically take an important tool for admissions and make it worthless by treating all candidates the same? Just more MCPS grade inflation.

I did not get that from the PP’s post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Counselor here. I only complete the required questions. In the Common App/NACAC counselor forms, there are a couple I happily skip, because I hate being asked to compare students to their peers. We are required to answer the question of how strongly we recommend a student. I always select "enthusiastically recommend" (except on the rare occasion I have serious reservations).

The Georgetown form is tough. OP, I wonder if this is the form you're filling out. So many subjective questions asking us to compare students to their peers. These questions are required, so I answer them, but it's so frustrating. I usually ask myself, "What are the traits I admire most about this student?" Then, in all those categories, I select "top 1% in my career." I go with the second best option for almost everything else.

So you basically take an important tool for admissions and make it worthless by treating all candidates the same? Just more MCPS grade inflation.

I did not get that from the PP’s post.

But it's so much more fun to toss live grenades!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Counselor here. I only complete the required questions. In the Common App/NACAC counselor forms, there are a couple I happily skip, because I hate being asked to compare students to their peers. We are required to answer the question of how strongly we recommend a student. I always select "enthusiastically recommend" (except on the rare occasion I have serious reservations).

The Georgetown form is tough. OP, I wonder if this is the form you're filling out. So many subjective questions asking us to compare students to their peers. These questions are required, so I answer them, but it's so frustrating. I usually ask myself, "What are the traits I admire most about this student?" Then, in all those categories, I select "top 1% in my career." I go with the second best option for almost everything else.

So you basically take an important tool for admissions and make it worthless by treating all candidates the same? Just more MCPS grade inflation.

I did not get that from the PP’s post.

Then you didn't read what she wrote. She chooses several "top 1% in my career" categories for every student and "always selects enthusiastically recommend." So no differential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Counselor here. I only complete the required questions. In the Common App/NACAC counselor forms, there are a couple I happily skip, because I hate being asked to compare students to their peers. We are required to answer the question of how strongly we recommend a student. I always select "enthusiastically recommend" (except on the rare occasion I have serious reservations).

The Georgetown form is tough. OP, I wonder if this is the form you're filling out. So many subjective questions asking us to compare students to their peers. These questions are required, so I answer them, but it's so frustrating. I usually ask myself, "What are the traits I admire most about this student?" Then, in all those categories, I select "top 1% in my career." I go with the second best option for almost everything else.

So you basically take an important tool for admissions and make it worthless by treating all candidates the same? Just more MCPS grade inflation.

I did not get that from the PP’s post.

But it's so much more fun to toss live grenades!

And you didn't read it either. I fill out Common App recommendations every year. Do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Counselor here. I only complete the required questions. In the Common App/NACAC counselor forms, there are a couple I happily skip, because I hate being asked to compare students to their peers. We are required to answer the question of how strongly we recommend a student. I always select "enthusiastically recommend" (except on the rare occasion I have serious reservations).

The Georgetown form is tough. OP, I wonder if this is the form you're filling out. So many subjective questions asking us to compare students to their peers. These questions are required, so I answer them, but it's so frustrating. I usually ask myself, "What are the traits I admire most about this student?" Then, in all those categories, I select "top 1% in my career." I go with the second best option for almost everything else.

So you basically take an important tool for admissions and make it worthless by treating all candidates the same? Just more MCPS grade inflation.

I did not get that from the PP’s post.

Then you didn't read what she wrote. She chooses several "top 1% in my career" categories for every student and "always selects enthusiastically recommend." So no differential.

That’s what private schools do, so I think it’s great a public school student is thrown a scrap or two.