Letter of Recommendation

[omaradib]

Usually most programs allow exactly 3 LORs in their . Is it allowed to solicit more than 3 LORs?

I am in a situation. One of my recommender is residing abroad (away from my country) and I fear there might be a chance that he misses some of the requests or he may be available after deadlines. So, I want to request online requests to him and send 3 offline LORs with my package per school. I am curious if there is a situation where this method I am taking may hurt my application.

For example, as I am sending total 4 LORs, information of one recommender will not be possible to put or fill in the referee information section of the application system. Would that be a problem in your opinion?

[CalmLogic]

Most graduate programs do not explicitly forbid sending an extra recommendation letter.

Generally, I think sending an extra recommendation letter is not a bad idea, as mentioned in a book on graduate admissions, which is discussed here:

http://www.urch.com/forums/computer-...many-lors.html (How many LORs)

[omaradib]

Thanks CalmLogic.

And I have again come with a bizarre and intricate situation.

Consider this scenario:

In the application form, I can only put 3 recommender. I have specified that my recommender are X, Y, Z. I have requested online recommendation to X and added offline letter of reference of Y, Z and W in my application package. Now the questions are:

1. I could not mention about W in the application form as it allows only 3. How would they consider W's letter of reference?

2. Somehow X missed to recommend online. Then I have still 3 letter of reference but missing 1 letter of reference from a specified recommender. Will they consider my application incomplete?

3. If X fills the online recommendation 2-3 weeks after deadline, will admission committee accept my application package?


If you are curious about why I am expecting such a bizarre situation, X lives in a different country now and I am trying to minimize my risks. Hope my situations will not grow more intricate in future.

[CalmLogic]

I don't have answers to any of those questions. I would contact the graduate department.

[kronique]

omaradib,

As CalmLogic mentioned, it is best to contact your department in these regards. Hope you do have sufficient time at hand as most of the schools will be closed now for the winter break. Send in your queries as soon as possible as hope that the reply at the earliest !