Teacher recommendations are a key component of most independent school admission decision making.  While grades provide a mark of actual achievement in a class, teacher recommendations provide the context and the insight a simple grade cannot.  

Imagine two scenarios.  The student has a B+ in math, which seems perfectly respectful.  In one scenario, the recommendation helps the admission committee realize that the student has missed some homework assignments and the teacher feels they are capable of much more but that the student has ‘settled’ for the B+.  In the second scenario, the admission