Weird Recommendation Situation

Hi all,
As many of you know, USNA requires a letter of recommendation from your junior or senior math teacher. My school does not allow senior year teachers to write letters of recommendation, so my only option for a math rec is my current precalc teacher. His English is very broken, so when I asked him for a rec, he essentially told me to write it myself and give it to him to submit. However, I have no idea where to start. Can anyone give me tips on how to write it/what to include?

navyhopeful2020 said:

Hi all,
As many of you know, USNA requires a letter of recommendation from your junior or senior math teacher. My school does not allow senior year teachers to write letters of recommendation, so my only option for a math rec is my current precalc teacher. His English is very broken, so when I asked him for a rec, he essentially told me to write it myself and give it to him to submit. However, I have no idea where to start. Can anyone give me tips on how to write it/what to include?

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This should not be a problem for you as it’s a required evaluation, verses a letter of recommendation. You supply the email for your math and english teachers. They are then sent a link online to evaluate you as far as your performance, etc. Its different than a typical “LOR”.

USNA doesn’t accept LOR’s. Your congressional people may as part of their process. But thats a different process than USNA. Our Congress people ask for 3, from people who know the. One does actually be a teacher. Should you find yourself in that situation, I would find a different person. You should not be writing your LOR. In fact, IMO, you shouldn’t even see it. The ones written for DS’s congressional noms ask that they be sealed and signed, so not read by the candidate. Let alone written.

The USNA requirement is all explained in the instructions provided via links in your candidate portal, so make sure and actually read the instructors.

justdoit19 said:

navyhopeful2020 said:

Hi all,
As many of you know, USNA requires a letter of recommendation from your junior or senior math teacher. My school does not allow senior year teachers to write letters of recommendation, so my only option for a math rec is my current precalc teacher. His English is very broken, so when I asked him for a rec, he essentially told me to write it myself and give it to him to submit. However, I have no idea where to start. Can anyone give me tips on how to write it/what to include?

Click to expand...

This should not be a problem for you as it’s a required evaluation, verses a letter of recommendation. You supply the email for your math and english teachers. They are then sent a link online to evaluate you as far as your performance, etc. Its different than a typical “LOR”.

USNA doesn’t accept LOR’s. Your congressional people may as part of their process. But thats a different process than USNA. Our Congress people ask for 3, from people who know the. One does actually be a teacher. Should you find yourself in that situation, I would find a different person. You should not be writing your LOR. In fact, IMO, you shouldn’t even see it. The ones written for DS’s congressional noms ask that they be sealed and signed, so not read by the candidate. Let alone written.

The USNA requirement is all explained in the instructions provided via links in your candidate portal, so make sure and actually read the instructors.

Click to expand...

ah ok, all that shows up in my candidate portal when I click on math teacher recommendation is a form that asks for their name and email. I did not understand that it was more of an evaluation rather than a recommendation, so thank you for the explanation.

JustDoIt is correct..this is not a recommendation, but rather an evaluation. USNA is very specific about who should be doing the evaluation. I would encourage you to sit down and explain this to your teacher, and make sure he looks for the email from USNA. (Check with the teachers a couple weeks after you submit their names to ensure they received the email form from USNA --I've heard of several cases where the USNA email gets caught in SPAM filters, etc. )

If your school has restrictions, talk to your guidance counselor and teachers, and let them know that the Evaluation is not optional --it is a critical part of the USNA application. Also, if the MOC requires a LOR, first work with the school and see if they will make an exception. If that doesn't work, contact the MOC office, let them know how stupid, well perhaps misguided is more tactful , your school is, and see if you can submit a LOR from someone else that you have worked with in an academic setting.

Goood luck.

navyhopeful2020 said:

ah ok, all that shows up in my candidate portal when I click on math teacher recommendation is a form that asks for their name and email. I did not understand that it was more of an evaluation rather than a recommendation, so thank you for the explanation.

Click to expand...

It’s unfortunate that it says “English teacher recommendation” and “Math teacher recommendation”. I personally believe that the word ‘evaluation’ would be a better choice, given the general understanding of ‘recommendation’ especially among seniors apply for colleges.

But I don’t get to vote [emoji51]

justdoit19 said:

navyhopeful2020 said:

ah ok, all that shows up in my candidate portal when I click on math teacher recommendation is a form that asks for their name and email. I did not understand that it was more of an evaluation rather than a recommendation, so thank you for the explanation.

Click to expand...

It’s unfortunate that it says “English teacher recommendation” and “Math teacher recommendation”. I personally believe that the word ‘evaluation’ would be a better choice, given the general understanding of ‘recommendation’ especially among seniors apply for colleges.

But I don’t get to vote [emoji51]

Click to expand...

USNA will accept and consider letters that add to their knowledge of the candidate.

I think it is very important to sit down with your guidance counselor and principal at the beginning of this process. They can be valuable assets and they want you to get in. It makes them look good and they love to put SA appointments on the school profile. Teachers can be given support, especially if there is a language barrier, that will help them understand the importance of completing their portions professionally, accurately and on time. Unfortunately, not all educators understand service academies or the process. I know of a teacher who was asked to complete a rec whose reply was “I thought you only needed a letter from the congressman.” You are not applying to regular college and you need to be active in self advocating for yourself all along the way. Good luck!

SCMids said:

USNA will accept and consider letters that add to their knowledge of the candidate.

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I have never heard this before. Interesting!

SCMids said:

USNA will accept and consider letters that add to their knowledge of the candidate.

Click to expand...

justdoit19 said:

I have never heard this before. Interesting!

Click to expand...

There are many threads on this forum discussing this issue....I don't think anyone can say with certainty what effect, if any, additional letters of recommendation would have. It is certainly not required, but I suspect that USNA will "receive and consider" a meaningful LOR if it adds something to the application, i.e. something that isn't otherwise covered. That said, trying to "pull strings" but submitting a LOR from some high ranking muckety muck who really doesn't know the candidate doesn't help (and can actually be viewed negatively for failure to follow directions). Similarly, submitting a letter from the friend of a friend Grad is meaningless...

Old Navy BGO said:

SCMids said:

USNA will accept and consider letters that add to their knowledge of the candidate.

Click to expand...

justdoit19 said:

I have never heard this before. Interesting!

Click to expand...

There are many threads on this forum discussing this issue....I don't think anyone can say with certainty what effect, if any, additional letters of recommendation would have. It is certainly not required, but I suspect that USNA will "receive and consider" a meaningful LOR if it adds something to the application, i.e. something that isn't otherwise covered. That said, trying to "pull strings" but submitting a LOR from some high ranking muckety muck who really doesn't know the candidate doesn't help (and can actually be viewed negatively for failure to follow directions). Similarly, submitting a letter from the friend of a friend Grad is meaningless...

Click to expand...

DS was a college re-applicant, and was in NROTC. His NROTC Company Advisor was a USNA graduate; she had talked to Admissions and been encouraged to submit letters of rec for students in her unit. She did so for my DS as well as candidates from prior 2 classes, and they were all admitted. Company Advisor laughingly claimed credit.

We chose a proactive approach, we emailed the teachers and guidance counselor, with a cc to the administrator early in the summer. Basically advising them of the process and asking for their support in completing their portions of the application and explaining how complex the applications are. All 3 of them submitted their responses to the portal within 24 hours. At which point they got nice thank you emails.