Getting Great Recommendations for College #1

Ask early


Often, teachers are asked to write recommendations for a lot of their students. Ask your teachers about recommendations as early as possible. (How about right now? Go ahead, we'll wait.) You're more likely to get thoughtful, unique recommendations when yours is one of the first the teachers have written this year. By the tenth or fifteenth recommendation, teachers could end up running low on inspiration.
"The early recommendations often tend to be better (before teacher burnout occurs)," says John Boshoven, counselor for continuing education at Community High School (MI) and director of college counseling for Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit.

Nudge their memory

Some high school teachers may have more than a hundred students per year. Don't make them rack their brains trying to remember exactly what topic you chose for your research paper last semester.
When you give teachers your recommendation forms (and don't forget an addressed, stamped envelope!), include one or more following items:

• Copies of papers you wrote for that teacher's class, with his or her comments written on them.

• A list of which of the teacher's classes you've taken and when you took them.

• A short (one page or less) summary of your academic achievements and activities.

Also, find time to talk to your teacher about your experience in his or her class and your dreams for college.
"The best thing to do is to tell the teacher what you got out of his or her class—how it changed your way of looking at the world," says Reider.
If possible, relate that discussion to what you're looking for in a college. For example, perhaps what you enjoyed most about a particular class was the interesting classroom discussions. As a result, you decided to look for colleges that encourage a lot of interaction between the faculty and students.
"If you make clear to your teacher why you are applying to each college—how much each college matches your learning styles and objectives—and if you ask the teacher to cite examples of these in his or her class, you will have a recommendation that is much more helpful to the admission office," says Robert Massa, vice president of enrollment, student life, and college relations at Dickinson College (PA).
Also, if you asked your teachers weeks or months before the due date (you mean you haven't asked yet? What are you waiting for?), check on the progress of the recommendation a week or two before the due date. Don't be a pest: just ask politely if the teacher needs anything else to complete the recommendation and mention the due date.

Appreciate their efforts

Teachers write recommendations because they care about their students—that's you! Write your teacher a thank-you note. If you want to be more creative, attach the note to a plate of homemade cookies. Too many students don't realize that writing recommendations is hard work for teachers. Make sure that your teachers know you appreciate their efforts!

Author: Jennifer Gross
Source: North American Council on Adoptable Children

Reprinted with permission. Copyright 2007 National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Getting Great Recommendations for College

A great teacher recommendation can add depth and excitement to your college application. But many recommendations end up sounding alike—especially to tired admissions officers reading their fiftieth application of the day. To make your teacher recommendations stand out from the crowd of compliments, try these suggestions from the experts.

Choose carefully

You got an "A" in Mrs. Smith's class—your favorite subject. You barely squeaked out a "B+" in Mr. Jones's class, and that was by working harder than you've ever worked in your life. Which teacher do you ask to write a recommendation?
Believe it or not, Mr. Jones could be the better choice. He can write about your determination to learn a subject that was difficult for you. If you had to ask Mr. Jones for extra help, he might know you better than Mrs. Smith does.
On the other hand, Mrs. Smith can attest to your natural aptitude for her subject. If her class is related to a college major you're interested in, or if you completed a significant project or paper for the class, she may be a good choice. (Of course, if you need more than one recommendation, ask both teachers.)
"Students should ask teachers from classes where they have been most engaged intellectually, and especially where they have done a special project requiring independent work, follow-through, and imagination," says Jon Reider, director of college counseling at San Francisco University High School (CA). "Just an A in the class is not noteworthy."
So don't choose teachers based on grades alone. Think about the work you did in their class(es), the relationship between you and the teacher, and how your experience in the class could fit with your college choices. If the teachers don't know you very well or the class wasn't very demanding, you'll end up with so-so recommendations.

Author: Jennifer Gross
Source: North American Council on Adoptable Children

Choosing a School: Types of Schools

Parents have a growing array of options in choosing a school, though the extent of the options varies from state to state. The enactment of the landmark No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; the rapid growth of the charter school movement; the increasing number of states enacting voucher, scholarship, and tax credit programs; the expansion of privately funded scholarship programs for low-income children; and the growing acceptance of homeschooling have all increased the choices available to families.
Parents can exercise choice in many ways. The most common way may be in choosing where to live based on the public school district or neighborhood schools. In many areas, parents can choose from neighborhood schools, charter schools or other public schools of choice, or transfer their child to another public school (in or out of district). They can also select a private school (religious or secular) or teach their child at home.
Choosing a School for Your Child offers step-by-step advice on how to choose among the schools available to your child. It identifies important factors you may want to consider before making a decision. As you and your child visit different schools, you may want to consider the questions in each section of this booklet.

Why Should You Choose Your Child's School?

No one cares more about your child's welfare than you do. No one else will be more careful to see that your child is well educated and well treated in school. You know your child's personality, strengths and weaknesses. You know the interests that light up your child's eyes. You know the values that your family wants a school to respect.
Choosing your child's school may also make you more confident that she will be taught effectively and treated fairly. Choosing your child's school carefully is an important way you can help your child achieve all that he can be. This is a head and a heart decision. Don't be afraid to heed your own informed and intuitive wisdom.

Types of School

Public Schools

Moving to a new area? Thinking about transferring your child within district? Considering a charter, single-sex, or other alternative school setting for your child? As a parent, it can be a challenge to wade through the mountains of data and information on local public schools. Look no further! We have tips and tricks to help you make this all important decision about your child's education and future.
To  find, compare, and evaluate individual public and charter schools from elementary through high school

Getting the Education You Want for Your Child

We live in a world driven to perfection.
We work out to get the perfect body, to fit into the perfect outfit, to attract the perfect mate, with whom we will build a perfect life.
So it makes sense that when we have children, we try to make their lives perfect as well. When it comes to choosing the perfect school, things can get a little confusing. That's because schools come in many shapes and sizes and operate from a variety of philosophies.

"I started thinking about schools when Jason was just a little baby," said Julie, a mother of five school-aged children. "I listened to other families describe their choices and got more and more confused. They all liked their schools, but for very different reasons. Which one was right?"

Setting the goals

Choosing the best school for your child is one of the most important decisions your family can make. Happily, today's parents have more choices than ever, with charter schools, private schools and public schools of choice. Yet all the variety, and competing sales pitches, can make the choice confusing.

"The best possible educational experience will focus on five fundamental goals," writes school psychologist Brandi Roth, Ph.D. in her book Choosing the Right School for Your Child. "These will be helpful to keep in mind as you evaluate the different schools available to you." The five goals:

1. Giving your child a sound learning experience
2. Creating psychological well-being and growth
3. Finding an environment that allows your child to learn socialization skills from classmates, friends and other caring adults
4. Developing skills and interests in activities that will result in physical health and fitness
5. Reaching the child's potential for the highest moral development and behavior

All families want these things for their children. But the priority given to any one area varies from family to family. That's why before you begin a school search, you will need to sit down and decide what kind of learning experience you want for your child. To do that, you need to assess your child's personality and learning styles, your family's values, and your relationship to your community.

Author: Linda Wacyk
Source: EduGuide