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Cym-

It's great to hear that ds is doing so well at the cc! I'd suggest that you ask his profs for letters of recommendation now, while he is fresh in their minds.

Cym,

I love hearing that your son is doing well. Since we're in the same state, you're cutting the trails for me!

Thanks Lorel,

Do you think a letter of recommendation that is 3-4 yrs old (by the time he applies to college, assuming he's not going earlier) is worthwhile/will be considered? A lot of applications seem to want 2 teacher recommendations--wouldn't they prefer ones that are more recent?

I am considering Davidson Academy residential option if they do that which needs recommendations.

Cym

Hi Shari,

I get a little panicky about running out of classes and ending up online (I really like having a live teacher for DS), so we'll see what happens after next year. Your location is perhaps better for some options (UNM or scholarship to the good prep schools, mentorships with high tech folks, etc.) I'll be watching you too.

Cym

Cym-

I've actually been surprised at how many letters ds13 has needed already. He has applied to several summer programs and such that ask for letters of recommendation. I imagine that by the time he applies to full time college (whenever that will be!), he will have newer, more impressive recs. It just doesn't hurt to ask now, and it can give you a window into what the teachers observe. I wouldn't ask for no reason, but if your son is going to apply to any programs, it is useful for the instructor to have specific examples to refer to in a letter, rather than, "Oh yes, I recall that he was a good student."

Some programs require you to use their form, but if the teacher has a letter on file, s/he can tweak it to fit the bill.

This is great to see. We're not there yet since my oldest DS isn't quite 6, but I'm always thankful for parents who are paving the way.

I saw the caution on the grades and feel compelled to add to it. My stepkids both took language courses at the local community college (UC system) when they were freshmen/sophomores in high school. Neither did so well. Now, 5 years later, my stepdaughter is trying to finish up her associates to transfer to Davis as a math major. However, her cumulative gpa is drastically low because those bombs back in high school factored into the overall gpa. As transferring gets more and more competitive, even a B might be a negative someday down the line.

Thanks Lorel--I will definitely ask his teacher for a recommendation for upcoming programs or schools. With oldest DS applying to colleges this fall, that's how I see everything these days--college apps.

This is all very interesting. You learn something new everyday on this forum.