2010 Senior and College Beat 2010 Teachers’ Recommendation Letter Suggestions collected by Amanda Lopez

As all seniors are aware, college deadlines are right around the corner. If a student is applying to private schools, he/she has become very familiar with the importance of the much-needed teacher recommendation letter. Several teachers were interviewed to explain the student dos and don’ts when asking for a rec letter.

If a student wants a recommendation letter from you, how should they approach you?

Mr. Morgan: If a student had not approached me in their sophomore or junior year for a letter then they should not approach me in their senior year. I get 75-100 requests for recommendation letters, and a good letter takes a minimum of 2 hours to write, so you will not even be considered if you did not approach me earlier. Also, I am honest in my

letters because they are a reflection of the writer.

Ms. Mendoza: If a student wants a letter they need to tell me when it needs to be turned in and to whom. They need to give me a brag sheet and specify if the letter requires anything

special, and I will only write a letter if I know the student well.

Mr. Ryden: Well, they have to ask nicely, and I have to know them. If they want a

letter they need to ask me super early, I like to feel like the first person who they ask for a letter. They also have to be willing to sit there while I write the letter. For me to make it a priority I need to feel like its their priority.

Mr. Marks: I should be approached at least a week before the letter is due, and the student has to give me a brag sheet. I also need to know who it’s for and what its for.

Mr. Jimenez: I need a resume from the student; if I don’t have a resume then I wouldn’t know what to write. I need the big picture of who the student is. If financial aid is needed or if there are hardships or obstacles I would also need to know.

When it comes to rec letters, what are your pet peeves?Mr. Morgan: When a student who I have never met asks me for a letter. The students who wait; until the last minute or tells me I “have” to write them a letter. What also bothers me are the parents who come in and say that their child needs a really good recommendation letter.

Ms. Mendoza: If the student waits until the last minute or if they sign me up for recommendations I didn’t know about; it bothers me, but I will still do it. It also bothers me if the student doesn’t give me a brag sheet.

Mr. Ryden: When a student asks for a rec. letter and never comes for it, I will never do anything for them again.

Mr. Marks: When the student tells me they need it by the end of the day or if they don’t have a brag sheet.

Mr. Jimenez: Basically, just the kids who waited too long and need it the next day.

2010 World University Rankings Top 5 collected by Angie Martinez

Ranking means everything to a prospective senior on the move to bigger and better things. Every year the ranking of university varies from one opinion to another. Sometimes you don’t get exactly an accurate list, or they ignore many international universities that are ignored by the flashy American system. Here are some universities that might shine a light on the possible ones.

#1. Cambridge Universtiy: located in the United Kingdom, this can often be forgotten in the rankings of American system universities. The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world and one of the largest in the United Kingdom.

#2. HarvardUniversity: there is no surprise here. Not only does Harvard have a famous reputation, but it does well to fit in this ranking. Harvard is America’s oldest institution of higher learning, founded 140 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed.

#3. Yale University: another famous name in the list. Yale has drawn students from outside the United States for nearly two centuries, and international issues have been represented in its curriculum for the past hundred years and more.

#4. University College London: United Kingdom is once again on the charts at number four. Fun fact, over 30% of their students are from outside the UK, coming from nearly 140 different countries. The university is located on a compact site in the very heart of London and is surrounded by the greatest concentration of activities to do.

#5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): of course MIT would be in top five. MIT is dedicated to providing its students with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse campus community.

Whether or not these matter to you, you must realize that at the end of the day, these are top ranking in the world. Don’t be closed minded about staying in just your state, or even the U.S, after all there are many other universities all around the globe that use the American system. You might not be pleased by the list, but it’s all about the students and no so much the name.

The first couple of months of 2010 might have been about the seniors from the class of 2010 but once summer hit everyone from the class of 2011 knew that their time had come to shine. This past year was a

big one for the new Bravo seniors. After all, it was their last summer as kids from high school, their last first day of school, and as well as the start of brand new experiences.

The summer of 2010 for many seniors was a time to relax and let loose. For others, it was making up classes in summer school to finally make senior status. And of course there were those seniors who spent their summer

doing homework for their senior year AP class. Whatever the students were up to this summer, when September hit senior year has begun and everyone began to reap the benefits of it. Finally the class of 2011 could walk the halls of Bravo and command complete control and attention. The months from September to October were a turbulent time as everyone was adjusting to new classmates, teachers, and AP/honor classes. AP English Literature and AP Government is one aspect of what makes senior year so exciting. The duo of the fun and exciting married couple of Mr. and Mrs. Marks are teachers that the seniors won’t soon forget. 2010 was also the last time that the class of 2011 would celebrate holidays while in high school. The October Halloween Parade featured outrageous costumes that included a fruit trio and Jersey Shore costumes. The last two months of November and December were arguably the most hectic yet also important months for Bravo seniors. Juggling loads of homework while struggling to meet certain college deadlines was not an

2010: Big Year for the Class of 2011by Fabian Avellaneda

easy job. Yet through all the college stress, the students were still able to get more of a taste of what senior year has to offer with the selling of senior dues and collection of senior shirts. Ask any past alumni and they will tell you thatthe months following winter break go by really fast. With 2010 in the past, it is finally 2011, the year of the royal blue seniors. 2010 might have had new experiences but 2011 will be filled with even greater moments.