Schools Do letter of recommendations when applying to university matter?

  • Thread starter Thread starter kramer733
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Matter University
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the role of letters of recommendation in university admissions, particularly for a math program at Carleton University. There is skepticism about whether admissions committees truly consider these letters, especially when applicants feel their grades may not meet the required standards. The individual shares their personal journey, highlighting a shift from disinterest in academics to a newfound passion for math and physics after a challenging experience in a trade. They express a strong desire to improve their grades and catch up with peers, emphasizing their commitment to succeeding in math. The conversation also touches on the broader context of academic assessments, questioning the reliability of grades and standardized tests as true indicators of a student's potential. Ultimately, while high grades and good recommendations are seen as beneficial, there is no guarantee they will secure admission.
kramer733
Messages
322
Reaction score
0
Do the professors or whoever it is that chooses to accept who gets into unviersity or not even take into consideration the letter of recomendation? My friends suggested i get a letter of recomendation from my current math teacher if i don't think I'm going to get high enough marks for my chosen program I'm applying to. (math) But to be honest, i highly doubt the people who look over these things even take into consideration the letter.

This coming semester, i have :

physics
adv functions << night school
calculus
data and statistics
art

I'm willing to give up everything to get into my local university's math program (carleton university. Btw, does anybody know if they have a good program for math there?)

Well a little about me and my life. For all my life until last summer, i just screwed around and didn't care about school. Thought i'd take on a trade and have an easier life. But when i actually got into the trade, it wasn't easy at all and constantly getting yelled at when i was giving 100% of my body. It still wasn't enough so i got out of it. Then during last year of high school, i took a grade 12 college course math. I was easily the top student which was stupid because i only had a 70% in that class and everybody else screwed around. I didn't do much homework but little by little, i started to really like math and wanted to understand it more. Of course i still wanted to try bricklaying/masonry. When that didn't work out, i knew there was only one option left. That was to go back to school for another year in high school

Now I'm playing catchup and everyday i do math but it's so hard for me to break into the 80% barrier. I know i can do it. It just takes time and I'm sure it will come. The only subject i like is physics/math. I hate the arts and even for physics/math I'm not good at it. I've been busting my *** every day to catch up with my fellow classmates in a grade 11 math class.

Anyway thanks for answering if you do. Btw, sorry if my paragraphing and wording sucks. I'm not that good at english.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
If the university you are applying to is asking for letters of recommendation, it's a good bet that they will look at it.
 
Think like this, are the grades you get from your school unbiased? Do a high SAT score mean that you are really smart? Do extracurricular activities mean that you are a serious person?

The thing is, nothing guarantees that you are a good student. But having high grades is more unlikely if you are a bad student, same as having a good letter of recommendation.
 
I'm going to make this one quick since I have little time. Background: Throughout my life I have always done good in Math. I almost always received 90%+, and received easily upwards of 95% when I took normal-level HS Math courses. When I took Grade 9 "De-Streamed" Math (All students must take "De-Streamed" in Canada), I initially had 98% until I got very sick and my mark had dropped to 95%. The Physics teachers and Math teachers talked about me as if I were some sort of genius. Then, an...
Bit Britain-specific but I was wondering, what's the best path to take for A-Levels out of the following (I know Y10 seems a bit early to be thinking about A-levels, but my choice will impact what I do this year/ in y11) I (almost) definitely want to do physics at University - so keep that in mind... The subjects that I'm almost definitely going to take are Maths, Further Maths and Physics, and I'm taking a fast track programme which means that I'll be taking AS computer science at the end...
After a year of thought, I decided to adjust my ratio for applying the US/EU(+UK) schools. I mostly focused on the US schools before, but things are getting complex and I found out that Europe is also a good place to study. I found some institutes that have professors with similar interests. But gaining the information is much harder than US schools (like you have to contact professors in advance etc). For your information, I have B.S. in engineering (low GPA: 3.2/4.0) in Asia - one SCI...

Similar threads

Replies
20
Views
852
Replies
63
Views
8K
Replies
3
Views
3K
Replies
11
Views
2K
Back
Top