Strong applicant with weak LORs due to extenuating circumstances - advice for 11th grader??

[Anonymous]

I am sorry this has happened.

If you are able to also consider LORs from others who are outside of school, this might balance things out a bit.

[Anonymous]

I think the thing no one wants to ask is: have you fully recovered? Most colleges are not going to be interested in having a student on campus who doesn't leave their dorm room due to chronic illness, regardless of how well you do on assignments. I would focus on your health, and worry about recommendations and college apps later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For context, I am a great student. I have a 4.0, 1540+ SAT, a clear “spike," national and international awards/programs.

The problem is, I have been dealing with chronic health issues pretty much the entirety of 11th grade. This has affected my ability to attend class (I am absent maybe 80% of the time), complete work, concentrate, etc. I have a 504 plan, but I miss so much school that even accomodations don’t help much.

Because I essentially never attend class, my teachers pretty much know me as someone who turns stuff in late (even though it’s excused), does well on assignments, but they don’t know me as a person.

I’m scared my recommendation letters will be weak. I don’t want this to be the thing holding me back from getting into top schools like MIT, Caltech, Berkeley, etc. I feel like I have a genuine shot because my ECs and awards are strong, but never showing up to school and having zero relationship with my teachers is a bad look. I plan to discuss my health situation in my college application, but I’m scared my teachers will either refuse to write letters, or they’ll be very weak/neutral at best.

Can I fix this, or am I doomed to weak LORs? Please please please give any advice, I really need it.

I find the story hard to believe. It is one red flag after another. I think many AO's would feel the same.

[Anonymous]

OP: Did you get the international awards before your junior year? Have you recovered from your health issues? I assume you’ve been in touch often with some of your teachers due to the unusual circumstances? So they might know you better despite your physical absence?

[Anonymous]

1. Are you reasonably sure your health issues will be under control during your college years? You might want to focus your search on colleges with a great hospital on site, that includes the specialty you need. Campus health centers are usually TERRIBLE, and tend to not take legitimate conditions seriously. You might also want something that's easily accessible by car or plane, and not in the middle of nowhere.

2. Stop obsessing over the top tier, silly OP. It doesn't that much in the long run. If you're a brilliant kid, you will have a brilliant career. The brand on the diploma will not hold you back. Truly. I know you don't believe me right now, but when you're older, you will.

3. Don't dismiss teachers and counselors so easily. Your parents need to communicate with the two teachers and your counselor who need to write LORs, and ask them to include that you had serious health issues. You will then write one sentence to indicate you were dealing with a health issue all year, in the Additional Information portion of the Common App. Don't describe it at length: it should just be a bald statement of fact. DO NOT write about it in your essays.

4. You might want to consider getting a LOR from an adult who knows you personally, from an extra-curricular activity you did while in high school, but not necessarily this year, or an employer or a supervisor (from your place of worship, if you have one, for example). Someone not related to you who can speak to who you are as a person. It will complement your academic LORs nicely.

5. Don't stress too much about this, it's not good for your health.

- parent of teen with a chronic disease.

[Anonymous]

Wouldn’t a school require homebound education for a student who attends approx 36 days a year?

—former teacher

The failure to return to this post and the red flags mentioned by another poster does mar this very suspect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Are you reasonably sure your health issues will be under control during your college years? You might want to focus your search on colleges with a great hospital on site, that includes the specialty you need. Campus health centers are usually TERRIBLE, and tend to not take legitimate conditions seriously. You might also want something that's easily accessible by car or plane, and not in the middle of nowhere.

2. Stop obsessing over the top tier, silly OP. It doesn't that much in the long run. If you're a brilliant kid, you will have a brilliant career. The brand on the diploma will not hold you back. Truly. I know you don't believe me right now, but when you're older, you will.

3. Don't dismiss teachers and counselors so easily. Your parents need to communicate with the two teachers and your counselor who need to write LORs, and ask them to include that you had serious health issues. You will then write one sentence to indicate you were dealing with a health issue all year, in the Additional Information portion of the Common App. Don't describe it at length: it should just be a bald statement of fact. DO NOT write about it in your essays.

4. You might want to consider getting a LOR from an adult who knows you personally, from an extra-curricular activity you did while in high school, but not necessarily this year, or an employer or a supervisor (from your place of worship, if you have one, for example). Someone not related to you who can speak to who you are as a person. It will complement your academic LORs nicely.

5. Don't stress too much about this, it's not good for your health.

- parent of teen with a chronic disease.

+10. The above was a useful actionable response. OP should do that.