Holiday gifts for recommendation letter writers, essay readers, etc

[Anonymous]

$50 Amazon gift card. Much appreciated by all who received.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Heartfelt letter and a gc

This. DH is a teacher, always loves the handwritten notes, and gift card is appreciated, doesn’t matter the amount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Heartfelt letter and a gc

This. DH is a teacher, always loves the handwritten notes, and gift card is appreciated, doesn’t matter the amount.

What are your thoughts on the junior?

[Anonymous]

I gave Godiva chocolates to my recommenders when I picked up the envelopes

[Anonymous]

My DCs did not do gifts. They also waited until they knew their colleges to write the thank you notes. My first DC got in ED, so those notes went out over Winter Break. My second DC did not do an ED as her top choice college only offered RD, so she wrote her notes in the new year.

[Anonymous]

I’m a high school teacher who write recommendations.

We appreciate gift cards, but it’s really the note that is special.

We write many recommendations, but rarely receive any acknowledgment. For every 30 I write, I may receive one note from a student. Most don’t acknowledge the effort at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son just got accepted to his 1st choice school. He is writing a thank you note and giving a school pen to each of his recommenders.

No one wants a school pen.

I saw a recommendation on here several years ago to write a note, give a $20-$25 gift card, and a pen from the school my DC would be attending. That's what we did, and DC felt good about it. The pen is a cute touch, and teachers need/use pens. I now work in a high school, and my colleagues view it as a thoughtful addition to the thank you and reminder of the student.

It is not a wanted gift. It’s like giving a mug to an elementary school kid teacher. Meaningless and unwanted. I’ve never had a HS teacher ask for pens as a needed school supply. Tissues, index cards, highlighters, etc - those things have been requested by HS teachers. Your colleagues were being polite, nothing more.

It would be thrown in my cup and lost at some point or donated when I had too many. I’m just posting this so someone else doesn’t waste money on an unwanted gift.

I do know you were being thoughtful.

- former teacher

[Anonymous]

We're thinking a handwritten note and a $150 gift card. Now sure of the best gift card to give/receive.