Teacher recommendations- they’re not done yet!

[Anonymous]

Another HS teacher here just corroborating much of the above—I usually block out a late October weekend as a “rec letter writing weekend” and knock them all out at once. Aside from what was mentioned by pps above (lots of letters, October-as-Hell-month, grades due, etc.), I also like to wait until the last-ish minute to make sure I can comment adequately on the student’s senior year: growth, maturity, whatever. Again, the more personalized the better so the more info into the school year the better.

I’d be wary of the quickly-written letter: it’s biund to be a form letter (or heavily based on one).

[Anonymous]

Bound*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try to calm down - I'm a teacher and usually wait until the last week of October to send in my Nov. 1 recs because it is a very busy time of year. Grades are due soon and we're in the thick of DEVOLSON (the deep evil vortex of late September, October, November). I have even sent mine in a couple of days late before due to glitches in Naviance. Never once in my 11 years of writing rec letters has this been an issue.

It would make sense to get the rec letters done in September before it gets busy so that the students aren’t freaking out in late October.

Seems like some of this problem could be solved by writing them in August. At least with my kid, the requests (and the personal question sheet with electronic answers) went out in the spring.

Except— teachers don’t get paid to work in August, or at least not until the end, when they have crammed full schedules to get their classroom up and running. They are on summer vacation. Sitting at the beach with their kids.

I am not a teacher. But respect teachers enough to not be a snot. No, they don’t have to write the letter over their vacation, or by the end of September, because you are a control freak. They need to write it and submit it by November 1. It isn’t November 1. They aren’t late. And if I was a teacher, I would submit all my 11/1 letters at the same time. Because kids talk and parents talk, and I would not want to deal with Laral’s letter being in and hearing from Larlo’s mom because his is not. They have another week. Chill out. They know it’s due.

Teachers are welcome to say no if they don’t want to write recommendation letters. However, once they have said yes, it is their chosen duty to follow through in a timely fashion. Every college has said to be sure not to submit your application at the last minute, but teachers who stall don’t leave students a choice and make them look irresponsible.

A timely fashion is by the deadline. The teacher's timeline for submitting the letter doesn't reflect on the student. Honestly, it is parents and students like you that make some teachers refuse to write letters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dd is stressed enough with her applications due November 1, and now this. She asked two teachers for recommendations last spring, reminded and provided an info sheet in September, and reminded them in October. They’re still not done. She sent them both emails again today. What else can she do? Do we need to get the counselor involved? This is a large FCPS HS.

My DC had the same issue and decided to skip early ED and to wait for regular decition

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dd is stressed enough with her applications due November 1, and now this. She asked two teachers for recommendations last spring, reminded and provided an info sheet in September, and reminded them in October. They’re still not done. She sent them both emails again today. What else can she do? Do we need to get the counselor involved? This is a large FCPS HS.

My DC had the same issue and decided to skip early ED and to wait for regular decition

That’s a risky game. Acceptance rates are often significantly higher for ED.

[Anonymous]

So if a student submits for EA 10 days before the EA deadline, but teacher recommendation is not submitted before the EA deadline, is the application not considered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if a student submits for EA 10 days before the EA deadline, but teacher recommendation is not submitted before the EA deadline, is the application not considered?

Typically if they arrive a day or two late, it isn't an issue.

Student should talk to the colleges they are applying to and ask.

But the deadline for 11/1 apps is still 7+ days away. No one is 'late' yet. Breathe.

[Anonymous]

I can only think of one place (Michigan) that says everything has to be in their office on deadline day. Everyone else is flexible.

In the next two weeks, you're going to see tons of colleges extending their deadlines. Don't tell your kid, of course. It's the same game every year. Some will pick a natural disaster for their reason (a hurricane, usually).

You'll also see that the colleges will hound students for weeks to get missing items.

[Anonymous]

Our FCPS was so difficult to work with having no appreciation for "strategy" when admitting applications. Admission to Rolling Admission schools get more difficult to get into the longer one waits. Applications open in August. Even with months and months of advance warning (late Spring Junior Year, with a list) high school was completely uncooperative to get recommendations done in Sept or Oct.

Due to the frustration caused by the high school, my two DC's applied w/out recommendations and were admitted to several schools. DS on his applications, made sure he wrote about his EC, student government, and emphasized that the EC had required teacher recommendations.

Our FCPS, doing their part in a timely manner, was one of the lowest points in our experience there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calm down. Teacher here. I usually have 40+ to do. They take an hour each to write a thoughtful one. I have never missed a deadline in 20 years doing more than 500 recs but I also get some of them done in the couple of days before the deadline. It does not matter to the school whether I submit it in September or October 30th.

Please remember that some teachers will not do recs (several at my school). The rest of us pick up the slack and it is not a requirement of our job. We do it because we believe in our students and want them to do well in life. All I want is a sincere thank you and some faith that I will be a professional and mee the deadline. I have to say that the students who are rude and ask me why I haven't finished weeks before the deadline do not leave the impression they probably want to leave.

Thanks for explaining.

It's a bit tough on anxious students and parents who don't know that it works like this.
Blame it on the high-stakes system, if you want, but have a little tolerance for the students. It's a shitty time, honestly.

[Anonymous]

I have no respect for the FCPS teachers who are cutting it so close to the deadline. And worse, think it's no big deal. Shame on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no respect for the FCPS teachers who are cutting it so close to the deadline. And worse, think it's no big deal. Shame on you.

Do you know the meaning of the word deadline? It's interesting you have no respect for the people who you need to do something for your child out of their own free will on their own time, like your child is the only one who has asked for a recommendation. Please get over yourself. --not a teacher, but can't understand how teachers deal with such self-centered people (parents and students) all the time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no respect for the FCPS teachers who are cutting it so close to the deadline. And worse, think it's no big deal. Shame on you.

Do you know the meaning of the word deadline? It's interesting you have no respect for the people who you need to do something for your child out of their own free will on their own time, like your child is the only one who has asked for a recommendation. Please get over yourself. --not a teacher, but can't understand how teachers deal with such self-centered people (parents and students) all the time

+1. Not a teacher. But for the love of all things holy. Give it a rest until they are late. Bashing the teacher who is taking time to help your kid get into college because they are not two week early is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I assume all of you who are complaining have kids who complete and turn in all of their papers and projects weeks before the deadline.

You people are unbelievable. Take a Xanax and chill the f out. Come back and bitch when the teacher actually blows the deadline

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calm down. Teacher here. I usually have 40+ to do. They take an hour each to write a thoughtful one. I have never missed a deadline in 20 years doing more than 500 recs but I also get some of them done in the couple of days before the deadline. It does not matter to the school whether I submit it in September or October 30th.

Please remember that some teachers will not do recs (several at my school). The rest of us pick up the slack and it is not a requirement of our job. We do it because we believe in our students and want them to do well in life. All I want is a sincere thank you and some faith that I will be a professional and mee the deadline. I have to say that the students who are rude and ask me why I haven't finished weeks before the deadline do not leave the impression they probably want to leave.

I teach community college and typically do between 6-10 a year for transfer students. It usually takes an hour to write the letter and another 20 minutes to navigate the college website to fill out information and upload the letter. I can't imagine having to do 40+ so bless you.
fwiw I usually tell students "I will have your letter done by ____. Please email me a couple of days before then to remind me". I have never forgotten to do a letter but I feel better knowing I will get a gentle reminder. I imagine if I was churning out 40+ I would be very organized and would not worry about forgetting in which case email reminders would be annoying.