Teacher only writes “elite” students college recommendations

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So how are B+ or even average students to obtain recommendations? You can ask the students to prepare a list of accomplishments, and I’m sure you have a template for recommendations. Ridiculous to try to put forward the notion that you are drafting each recommendation from scratch. Do your job.

I DO draft each rec from scratch. They are very clear that this is what is needed: detailed, show that you know the student, not cut-and-paste. A neutral or cut-and-paste letter of rec is not useful at best, damning at worst. You really don’t know how this works.

Teachers should be obliged to write recommendations for even mediocre or poor students.

lol. That’s cute.

No.

Anyone who wants this should send their kid to private

[Anonymous]

I feel bad for HS teachers, particularly math and English teachers that seem to be asked more often for recommendation letters. Are they really valuable to schools when deciding who will attend? I’d hate to see teachers spending all that time writing them only for schools to mildly consider them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So how are B+ or even average students to obtain recommendations? You can ask the students to prepare a list of accomplishments, and I’m sure you have a template for recommendations. Ridiculous to try to put forward the notion that you are drafting each recommendation from scratch. Do your job.

I am writing recs for a few C students who scored 2 on the AP exam for my class. They worked hard, improved a lot from where they began, were polite and diligent in class, didn’t cheat, cut corners, or coast. I am happy to do this. It isn’t just the A students for me. But again, I can’t write 100+ recs each year, and using a template to try and do so would be harmful to all. Even our guidance counselors understand and support this.

Basically, don't be the average quiet girl. Stand out with good grades or lower grades but the appearance of hard work. The ones who work hard, but don't make a show of it, and get Bs end up SOL.

OP here- In our case, don’t be the incredibly hard working quiet kid who never had a problem and scored a 4 on the AP exam with an A in the class.

Most of the recs I am writing now are for kids like the one you describe. If this your child, he/she should have no problems finding enough teachers to write recs, and the one teacher who declined won’t matter then.

OP here- Thank you for doing that!

[Anonymous]

Do students hoard recommendations from many teachers? If not, you can get a recommendation from a different teacher. If you didn't do well in the class, why do you think a rec from that teacher would help?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If my child could not obtain recommendations for college I would contact the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. This is a basic duty and the idea that teachers can pick and choose has civil rights implications.

You don't want a Teacher who doesn't to write a letter of recommendation writing a letter of recommendation for your child. It will end badly for your child. Letters take time and Universities can tell when a form letter is used. A generic letter is not going to help your child. A poor letter will hurt your child.

If you want a Teacher to write a letter for your child then you should make sure that your child is paying attention in class, turning in work, not using technology, and not distracting other kids. If multiple Teachers are saying no to writing your child a letter of recommendation that is because your child did not do what was expected of them in a multitude of classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for HS teachers, particularly math and English teachers that seem to be asked more often for recommendation letters. Are they really valuable to schools when deciding who will attend? I’d hate to see teachers spending all that time writing them only for schools to mildly consider them.

Recs only matter for the favorite kid or when (private) schools manage college applications so each colege gets a few applicants with different recommenders. You aren't getting a boost if 10 kids applying to the same college get the same letter from the same teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here my concern is that kids find out whether they’ve been selected only after AP results are out.

It’s devastating to the kid who scored a 4 on the AP exam and earned semester As to find out MIDSUMMER that they didn’t make the cut in a group email. Most teachers close off their recommendations prior to the end of the school year. Would the teacher have recommended my kid if he/she had scored a 5 on the exam? If not, why do they wait until midsummer to tell child and what is the purpose of doing so? There is no feedback loop either. What if you have a quiet shy kid that doesn’t stand out.

I see there are a few teachers on the forum and I really do appreciate the time and effort that each teacher puts into recommendations. It feels incredibly unkind to hold onto these requests and let students know midsummer. If you had no intention of recommending my student, please let them know immediately so they can pivot and find someone else.

I’m one of the teachers who has posted several times already on this thread. I do NOT base my willingness to write a rec on the AP score. No other teacher on this thread has said they do that, either. In fact, I don’t know any teacher who does this. That is very unusual of this teacher. Part of a Common App rec is the letter itself, it there are also tick box lists of attributes in which we must rank the student, relating to things like reaction to setbacks, faculty respect, self confidence, and a bunch of other things. It isn’t supposed to be just for the AP 5s; the whole rec is meant to give a picture of the student’s journey. I don’t know if I would even want a rec from this teacher.

But even so, your child has time to ask another teacher at the start of the school year. He/she can even—politely, not criticizing or blaming!—mention what happened with the other teacher and the AP cutoff situation, which was not known until July. This should be done the first week of school, and in person, not email (can email brag sheet later, after teacher agrees). All is not lost, and this may turn out better in the end.

OP here. Thank you! Fortunately my child asked for two other recommenders so he/she will be good to go though not ideal since the recommenders are all in area of strength. I know one teacher sent me a glowing thank you note after a Christmas gift about my child once so I think that one will be good. Fortunately my kid is applying to top 30-100 schools not 1-30 which many I’ve been told require recommenders from both humanities/math.

My child had another teacher who she/he really liked in his/her weak area (and also scored a 4 on that exam). He/she could probably ask that one but my kid is doesn’t want to ask. Feeling a little dejected at the moment.

Also is almost done with college apps too and wants to submit early. PP you sound like a nice teacher.

Wowsa!
OP is bribing teachers and whining about not getting a recommendation that she knows the kids doesn't deserve or need, despite having 2 stronger recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If my child could not obtain recommendations for college I would contact the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. This is a basic duty and the idea that teachers can pick and choose has civil rights implications.

You don't want a Teacher who doesn't to write a letter of recommendation writing a letter of recommendation for your child. It will end badly for your child. Letters take time and Universities can tell when a form letter is used. A generic letter is not going to help your child. A poor letter will hurt your child.

If you want a Teacher to write a letter for your child then you should make sure that your child is paying attention in class, turning in work, not using technology, and not distracting other kids. If multiple Teachers are saying no to writing your child a letter of recommendation that is because your child did not do what was expected of them in a multitude of classes.

Public employees have no business using their official position to endorse individuals without ethical oversight. Schools should enforce a transparent and fair policy, or ban recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If my child could not obtain recommendations for college I would contact the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. This is a basic duty and the idea that teachers can pick and choose has civil rights implications.

You don't want a Teacher who doesn't to write a letter of recommendation writing a letter of recommendation for your child. It will end badly for your child. Letters take time and Universities can tell when a form letter is used. A generic letter is not going to help your child. A poor letter will hurt your child.

If you want a Teacher to write a letter for your child then you should make sure that your child is paying attention in class, turning in work, not using technology, and not distracting other kids. If multiple Teachers are saying no to writing your child a letter of recommendation that is because your child did not do what was expected of them in a multitude of classes.

If the kid wants to go to JMU and just needs a letter to complete the application packet, a generic letter is fine. That's most kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If my child could not obtain recommendations for college I would contact the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. This is a basic duty and the idea that teachers can pick and choose has civil rights implications.

And once again we see why teachers are calling it quits. It’s a RECOMMENDATION letter. If folks aren’t agreeing to write one for you child the place to start evaluating the problem is in the mirror.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If my child could not obtain recommendations for college I would contact the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. This is a basic duty and the idea that teachers can pick and choose has civil rights implications.

You don't want a Teacher who doesn't to write a letter of recommendation writing a letter of recommendation for your child. It will end badly for your child. Letters take time and Universities can tell when a form letter is used. A generic letter is not going to help your child. A poor letter will hurt your child.

If you want a Teacher to write a letter for your child then you should make sure that your child is paying attention in class, turning in work, not using technology, and not distracting other kids. If multiple Teachers are saying no to writing your child a letter of recommendation that is because your child did not do what was expected of them in a multitude of classes.

Public employees have no business using their official position to endorse individuals without ethical oversight. Schools should enforce a transparent and fair policy, or ban recommendations.

Did your kid not get a letter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If my child could not obtain recommendations for college I would contact the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. This is a basic duty and the idea that teachers can pick and choose has civil rights implications.

Then I expect the following from you:

1. Tell the principal, the superintendent, and the board that teachers must be given time AND pay for this task. As it is, this is a gift since teachers complete these during our unpaid summers. If you want this as a mandated requirement, then these parties need to devote time and money to it.

2. I expect you to accept any letter I write. I’m not going to lie to colleges and scholarship committees. As it stands, I don’t write letters to students I can’t recommend. (I personally think that’s the way it should be handled.) If you expect a letter anyway, know I will be honest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If my child could not obtain recommendations for college I would contact the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. This is a basic duty and the idea that teachers can pick and choose has civil rights implications.

You don't want a Teacher who doesn't to write a letter of recommendation writing a letter of recommendation for your child. It will end badly for your child. Letters take time and Universities can tell when a form letter is used. A generic letter is not going to help your child. A poor letter will hurt your child.

If you want a Teacher to write a letter for your child then you should make sure that your child is paying attention in class, turning in work, not using technology, and not distracting other kids. If multiple Teachers are saying no to writing your child a letter of recommendation that is because your child did not do what was expected of them in a multitude of classes.

Public employees have no business using their official position to endorse individuals without ethical oversight. Schools should enforce a transparent and fair policy, or ban recommendations.

You’ll need to talk to all of the colleges, because they are the ones who require these letters. You’ll also be expected to waive your ability to see these letters as part of the process. You can choose not to, I suppose. I’ve never had a student do that, though, and I’ve written close to 1000 letters throughout my career.

[Anonymous]

And while it's not expected, a thank you card after the teacher writes a letter of rec is always appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And while it's not expected, a thank you card after the teacher writes a letter of rec is always appreciated.

OP here- I expect that from my kids. My kids always write thank you notes for recommendations. Not always as quickly as I would prefer but they always do.