Anonymous wrote:My kid's teacher still has just over 4 hours, application still not submitted, so I hope she's almost done. Yes, he requested it back in April per our school's policy and yes, followed up as recently as a few days ago. I believe she will get it done, but geez, this is last minute!

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Anonymous wrote:Give a deadline of two weeks before you need it. Request at least 4-6 weeks of when you need it, in which your kid's case sounds like what kid did by asking in spring and following up early in senior year.

Many ask in the Spring but never follow up. Students are told to ask in Spring but teachers are way too busy at the end of the year. I say yes to everyone and tell them to come see me in the fall and give me their resume. OP's student didn't bring in brag sheet until September, so when they asked is irrelevant. Are they in common app? That always serves as a good reminder. Teachers get an email when we are added.

We were told to get the commitment in the spring, not the letter. —NP

Where I work, students verbally request in the spring of their junior year. I’ve learned not to write letters too early, however. Many students cast wide nets, then officially request letters from 1-2 teachers in the fall. Earlier in my career I jumped on this task, getting them all done during my summer. Then I’d find out I wasted 20 or so hours writing letters students ultimately didn’t want.

So now I wait until I see the official request online. If a student verbally requests in the spring but waits until the fall to put in the request online, I get around to writing it in the fall.

My time is too precious to be spent writing “just in case” letters.

Yes-my kid asked for two in Spring of junior year and then reminded them/confirmed in fall. Never asked additional folks in Fall? Just the same two

Did they officially request through the school’s program (whichever one they use)?

Until I see that official request, I don’t write. A verbal request no longer carries any weight for me.

Nope our school doesn’t have a formal request process. They really should since there are more than 600 seniors!!

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Anonymous wrote:Give a deadline of two weeks before you need it. Request at least 4-6 weeks of when you need it, in which your kid's case sounds like what kid did by asking in spring and following up early in senior year.

Many ask in the Spring but never follow up. Students are told to ask in Spring but teachers are way too busy at the end of the year. I say yes to everyone and tell them to come see me in the fall and give me their resume. OP's student didn't bring in brag sheet until September, so when they asked is irrelevant. Are they in common app? That always serves as a good reminder. Teachers get an email when we are added.

We were told to get the commitment in the spring, not the letter. —NP

Where I work, students verbally request in the spring of their junior year. I’ve learned not to write letters too early, however. Many students cast wide nets, then officially request letters from 1-2 teachers in the fall. Earlier in my career I jumped on this task, getting them all done during my summer. Then I’d find out I wasted 20 or so hours writing letters students ultimately didn’t want.

So now I wait until I see the official request online. If a student verbally requests in the spring but waits until the fall to put in the request online, I get around to writing it in the fall.

My time is too precious to be spent writing “just in case” letters.

Yes-my kid asked for two in Spring of junior year and then reminded them/confirmed in fall. Never asked additional folks in Fall? Just the same two

Did they officially request through the school’s program (whichever one they use)?

Until I see that official request, I don’t write. A verbal request no longer carries any weight for me.

Nope our school doesn’t have a formal request process. They really should since there are more than 600 seniors!!

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Give a deadline of two weeks before you need it. Request at least 4-6 weeks of when you need it, in which your kid's case sounds like what kid did by asking in spring and following up early in senior year.

Many ask in the Spring but never follow up. Students are told to ask in Spring but teachers are way too busy at the end of the year. I say yes to everyone and tell them to come see me in the fall and give me their resume. OP's student didn't bring in brag sheet until September, so when they asked is irrelevant. Are they in common app? That always serves as a good reminder. Teachers get an email when we are added.

We were told to get the commitment in the spring, not the letter. —NP

Where I work, students verbally request in the spring of their junior year. I’ve learned not to write letters too early, however. Many students cast wide nets, then officially request letters from 1-2 teachers in the fall. Earlier in my career I jumped on this task, getting them all done during my summer. Then I’d find out I wasted 20 or so hours writing letters students ultimately didn’t want.

So now I wait until I see the official request online. If a student verbally requests in the spring but waits until the fall to put in the request online, I get around to writing it in the fall.

My time is too precious to be spent writing “just in case” letters.

Yes-my kid asked for two in Spring of junior year and then reminded them/confirmed in fall. Never asked additional folks in Fall? Just the same two

Did they officially request through the school’s program (whichever one they use)?

Until I see that official request, I don’t write. A verbal request no longer carries any weight for me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give a deadline of two weeks before you need it. Request at least 4-6 weeks of when you need it, in which your kid's case sounds like what kid did by asking in spring and following up early in senior year.

Many ask in the Spring but never follow up. Students are told to ask in Spring but teachers are way too busy at the end of the year. I say yes to everyone and tell them to come see me in the fall and give me their resume. OP's student didn't bring in brag sheet until September, so when they asked is irrelevant. Are they in common app? That always serves as a good reminder. Teachers get an email when we are added.

We were told to get the commitment in the spring, not the letter. —NP

Where I work, students verbally request in the spring of their junior year. I’ve learned not to write letters too early, however. Many students cast wide nets, then officially request letters from 1-2 teachers in the fall. Earlier in my career I jumped on this task, getting them all done during my summer. Then I’d find out I wasted 20 or so hours writing letters students ultimately didn’t want.

So now I wait until I see the official request online. If a student verbally requests in the spring but waits until the fall to put in the request online, I get around to writing it in the fall.

My time is too precious to be spent writing “just in case” letters.

Yes-my kid asked for two in Spring of junior year and then reminded them/confirmed in fall. Never asked additional folks in Fall? Just the same two

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give a deadline of two weeks before you need it. Request at least 4-6 weeks of when you need it, in which your kid's case sounds like what kid did by asking in spring and following up early in senior year.

Many ask in the Spring but never follow up. Students are told to ask in Spring but teachers are way too busy at the end of the year. I say yes to everyone and tell them to come see me in the fall and give me their resume. OP's student didn't bring in brag sheet until September, so when they asked is irrelevant. Are they in common app? That always serves as a good reminder. Teachers get an email when we are added.

We were told to get the commitment in the spring, not the letter. —NP

Where I work, students verbally request in the spring of their junior year. I’ve learned not to write letters too early, however. Many students cast wide nets, then officially request letters from 1-2 teachers in the fall. Earlier in my career I jumped on this task, getting them all done during my summer. Then I’d find out I wasted 20 or so hours writing letters students ultimately didn’t want.

So now I wait until I see the official request online. If a student verbally requests in the spring but waits until the fall to put in the request online, I get around to writing it in the fall.

My time is too precious to be spent writing “just in case” letters.

Anonymous wrote:Let's keep this thread going into November and see the latest recommendation submitted!

Anonymous wrote:DS heard he was admitted before the teacher got around to submitting the recommendation (requested by the student months before)

Recs are not always necessary.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give a deadline of two weeks before you need it. Request at least 4-6 weeks of when you need it, in which your kid's case sounds like what kid did by asking in spring and following up early in senior year.

Many ask in the Spring but never follow up. Students are told to ask in Spring but teachers are way too busy at the end of the year. I say yes to everyone and tell them to come see me in the fall and give me their resume. OP's student didn't bring in brag sheet until September, so when they asked is irrelevant. Are they in common app? That always serves as a good reminder. Teachers get an email when we are added.

We were told to get the commitment in the spring, not the letter. —NP

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Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t teachers using ChatGPT for recommendations. Write your main points. Throw it into ChatGPT. Edit what comes out. Done. Still takes time but more efficient.

most do this now.

Our English department does not.

We collectively agree that AI-generated writing is ridiculously obvious, especially if you don’t take time to train it. ChatGPT-produced writing has a very obvious structure. I’m a little tired of all the em dashes, as well. They are in every single response.

As a professional writer and editor and die-hard em dash user, I am sad that genAI has ruined em dashes for those of us who use them.

But also, thank you for your dedication and effort.

+1000 to the bolded. The em dash is my favorite punctuation mark.