Teacher Recommendation Tips

With the November 1 Plan II Honors Early Consideration Deadline fast approaching, I've received several emails this week with questions concerning the on-line teacher recommendation system.

Here are a few tips and an outline of the process:

First, please note that an applicant may not begin the honors program application until the applicant submits ApplyTexas. Once your ApplyTexas is loaded (into the UT computer systems after processing), you’ll be able to access the honors program application and online recommendation system. It may take up to three working days (about two weeks for paper applications) for UT to receive and load your admission application into the UT system once you have submitted ApplyTexas. Early in the cycle (before December 15) it's likely to take only 24 hours. Later in the cycle, after December 15, it will take 48-72 hours for an electronic submission of ApplyTexas to load.

Secondly, the applicant may choose any teacher. The class/subject is not critical, however applicants should first consider choosing a teacher who can address the student's writing and critical and analytical thinking skills.

Plan II only wants one teacher recommendation.

A written letter may not be substituted for the on-line recommendation system. The applicant's file will not be complete, and therefore will not be reviewed, without a completed electronic teacher recommendation.

The applicant will submit the teacher’s name and email contact information. Then, the UT system will electronically contact the teacher and supply the link the teacher accesses to complete and submit the on-line honors recommendation form.

The teacher will receive an electronic confirmation after submitting the electronic recommendation.

The Honors Recommendation Process:

Online Recommendation System Step by Step (from BeALonghorn)

1. Log in to the honors recommendation system.

Log in to the recommendation system using your UT EID and password. If you don’t know or forgot your UT EID or password, visit the UT EID help site. (You will be able to access the recommendation system after you have submitted—and we have received—your ApplyTexas Application for Admission.)

2. Select honors program(s) and enter contact information.

Select the honors program(s) to which you’re applying and enter the name and e-mail address of the individual who you would like to submit a recommendation. (You’ll be able to enter only one individual’s information. If you want to send a recommendation request to another individual, you’ll need to start over at step one of the online recommendation process and submit another recommendation request.)

3. The individual will receive an e-mail from UT Austin.

The applicant will be able to see that the recommendation has been submitted by using the on-line status check site.

Plan II Honors Admissions

We begin a new experiment with this blog. I hope to respond to questions and comments with information that might help multiple applicants and parents; I'm always eager to share information about the Program. I hope to respond directly to questions or comments, but I will often refer to one of the Plan II web pages--there is a TON of material already available. Perhaps a quick pointer here and there will help folks find information faster in the very large Plan II Honors web site.

I also refer prospective applicants to existing Plan II student blogs and profiles hosted by the University of Texas and the University's Office of Admission at the link below.

Please don't let this blog or the web site take the place of a visit to the University on a weekday during the fall or spring. No blog or web site can give you the same experience as meeting a current Plan II student or two and sitting in on a Plan II class. This campus has a lot to offer and the only way to really appreciate the richness of campus life is to be here.

Registration is required to attend a Plan II Honors information session and the class visit. To register electronically and to see very detailed information on Plan II visits, including maps, contact information, campus tour information, dorm tour details (and much more) follow the visiting link below.

Parents, please note: How an applicant takes charge of his or her own application speaks volumes to us in Plan II about how he or she manages time, takes on responsibility and faces problems and challenges. Urge your student to email or comment/question on this blog. We know their schedules are busy, but they all have time to send an email with a question.