By rejectedprobably - 18/07/2016 23:06 - United States - Zionsville

Today, I asked one of my teachers to write me a letter of recommendation for my top school. Even though I did fairly well in their class, I found out that they don't think that I'm very intelligent, but my "strong, work ethic" makes up for it. They mentioned it in the letter and submitted it. FML
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Top comments

Branessa9611 14

Use your "strong work ethic" to do exceptionally well in college and then come back 4 years later to take their job.

205 5
FlyingMangoes 5

Wait until after you've graduated and then tell them what you REALLY think about it. A dose of brutal honesty in return may be good for them.

134 4

Comments

holly_fly 34

I think everyone is missing the comma between strong and work ethic... I took that to be the punch line personally.

12 1
9a_z1 11

I hope there are other ways to demonstrate your intelligence in your application. Don't let it hold you back, teachers don't always know you as well as they think they do. Several years back a teacher took my parents aside and told them I wasn't cut out for the career I was aiming for, I've done very well not following his advice.

3 0
christian_slate 16

Hopefully this wasn't an English teacher, otherwise YDI.

3 3
Twunt 14

Not only that, switching from singular to plural when discussing one teacher....

1 3
SilverInGray 25

They can be used to describe one person, and has been used for years and years

5 1
Demon_of_Light 27

In casual conversation it's quite common. However, in formal writing it is considered incorrect to use "they" to refer to a singular person.

2 3
chosha_fml 26

An FML is hardly formal writing. And 'they' is okay is you are choosing not to reveal the person's gender.

4 0
alaina1104 11

I'm sure you are intelligent, but a strong work ethic is much more important, in life and probably in the eyes of the university. Your transcript says more about your intelligence than the word of your teacher, anyway. It's not as bad as it seems :)

0 7
ballinball 14

it seems harsh now but it's really a compliment, people are born intelligent but a work ethic is earned

1 5
Aethereal 14

That stray comma between ''strong'' and ''work ethic''...

4 1
l3b4s1 8

Ive had a teacher tell me i wasnt very smart as well lol arent they supposed to encourage students or something?

0 3
bretzeller 13

When I was getting my econ degree, the professor would demand to see your full transcripts before they'd write you a letter of recommendation. These complainers need to not get a letter at all and have to explain that.

3 0
heyLaddieHey 18

So while it's kind of unfortunate that they said in a rec letter that you're not the brightest student, it's your work ethic that's more important. Being a genius means nothing if you can't work hard. Hell, I think I was smarter than the valedictorian of my high school, but she worked so much harder than I did that she was top of the class and went on to Harvard. So don't take it too hard :)

2 1
chinaski7628 32

Yeah, but your Valedictorian was likely intelligent *and* hard working, hence the being a Valedictorian and Harvard student. I doubt one could make it to Harvard on hard work alone. OP's teacher seems to think that he is hard working, but *not* intelligent. Despite what many commentators here seem to think, that is not the kind of student colleges go after. Colleges want students who are both hard working *and* intelligent (those are not mutually exclusive traits, after all).

3 0
dontknow1 19

People will always underestimate you, you can't control that, but what you can control is the way it will affect you, don't let people's thinking control your life, show them they are wrong.

0 2