DD was refused a letter of recommendation based on something dumb

[Anonymous]

That’s not a dumb reason.

Your daughter missed a lot of time for travel. It was enough time that it was impactful to this teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Her absences were excused but the teacher probably wasn’t happy that sports and a vacation took priority over her education.

+1

Priorities Matter, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ya'll, I think this is fake. What 12th grader is asking for a LOR now? It's WAAAAAYYYY too late.

I got a request yesterday, lol. But it was for a very lost little puppy of a student who just realized that all his friends have them and maybe he should too, but also he doesn't know what he wants to study or where he wants to go, just that the college "experience" sounds important. He'll end up at NoVA, hopefully (and my rec letter won't be needed).

The kids applying to top schools all asked by by the end of September.

[Anonymous]

Actions have consequences

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD asked her AP Computer Science Principles teacher (from last year) to write her a letter of recommendation. She is applying to very selective colleges as a computer science major, so as you can imagine, this letter would have been an important part of her application.

However, the teacher said she would not be willing to write it since DD missed class a lot last year. Due to a combination of her sport, a family emergency, and travel, DD missed a significant amount of school in her junior year, but all her absences were excused and she explained this to the teacher. I'm really surprised the teacher would act like this- we are at a large public (not magnet). DD got an A in the class and is obviously passionate about the subject, and thought the teacher liked her. It's really surprising, and not fair.

DD was counting on this letter, and she doesn't know who to ask and what to do. Any advice? She is getting a letter from her AP Comp teacher as well, but it won't be strong since that's not her favorite subject.

That doesn’t sound like a dumb reason to decline. It sounds perfectly reasonable.

Your family had other priorities than this class. This teacher has higher priorities than to recommend your child.

It’s as simple as that.

Next time, go to class.

[Anonymous]

I don't see HS LORs, but I've seen college professors write bad recommendations. This student received an A in my course, but...
It does make you wonder if the author is trustworthy, since they maybe shouldn't have accepted the request, but reflects horribly on the student.

I know OP is a resident troll, but asking the wrong person is a genuine issue.

[Anonymous]

Travel and sports are not excused absences at any school. And certainly does not indicate a passion for computer science.

[Anonymous]

When your daughter was absent for optional activities (sports/travel), did she ask the teacher to give her special accommodations by giving her a packet of work ahead of time? Did she require additional time from the teacher to understand the missing work because she chose to go on vacation instead of attend class?

If I were her teacher, I'd be awfully bitter about either of those things.

[Anonymous]

Here is what happened:

OP's daughter missed so much school that she didn't get As in her core academic classes, so she had to ask the AP Comp Sci Principles (known for being one of the easiest APs) teacher for a letter of rec.

OP's daughter can't ask her core math or English teacher because she didn't perform well in those classes. You know, because of "travel" and "sport."

OP and her daughter are entitled and delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is what happened:

OP's daughter missed so much school that she didn't get As in her core academic classes, so she had to ask the AP Comp Sci Principles (known for being one of the easiest APs) teacher for a letter of rec.

OP's daughter can't ask her core math or English teacher because she didn't perform well in those classes. You know, because of "travel" and "sport."

OP and her daughter are entitled and delusional.

You must be psychic! Or a novelist? Such an imagination!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not strong arm someone who is telling you the letter will not be good into giving a letter.

+1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is what happened:

OP's daughter missed so much school that she didn't get As in her core academic classes, so she had to ask the AP Comp Sci Principles (known for being one of the easiest APs) teacher for a letter of rec.

OP's daughter can't ask her core math or English teacher because she didn't perform well in those classes. You know, because of "travel" and "sport."

OP and her daughter are entitled and delusional.

You must be psychic! Or a novelist? Such an imagination!

OP is probably make believe, too, so why not pitch in. I'd go further than this PP, OP thinks DC should major in CS based on the single fluff class where she got an A. Time to consider kinesiology instead.

[Anonymous]

OP's daughter missed a lot of school days including other classes. She will have a hard time asking another teacher to write a recommendation letter.

[Anonymous]

It is a fluff class among APs, usually resulting in an easy A that doesn't mean anything, and unfortunately she missed so many classes that the teacher probably didn't get to know her in a meaningful way. I do not understand the point of trying to convince the teacher to write a letter. The teacher effectively already told you they can't write a strong letter and the reason is perfectly valid.

[Anonymous]

Teachers who care if good students aren’t regularly AIS are insecure. Period.

That being said, teacher doesn’t owe anyone a recommendation.