Submitting Additional Letters of Recommendation.

[Ancalagon The Black]

Hi guys,

I have a query. What if a program accepts say 3 letters of recommendation but will also accept 4 or even 5 LORs.

Is there any additional utility to submitting more letters of recommendation especially if they are equally strong or glowing? Or are those diminishing returns? Does this differ from program to program or department to department?

I would love to hear any ideas or theories on this one.

Thanks.

[phdhope]

Hmm...good question. Don't really have much but theories on this one. I think as long as you have strong reasons for including more letters of recommendation then you are ok. At the school where I did my undergrad there were a lot of very prominent professors in academia and also many professors who would devote time to helping students start a career in academia. One of the dilemmas many students faced was who they should get LORs from. Sometimes they will have worked over a thousand hours with one professor and one hundred with another but one of them is known throughout the entire country. Allowing multiple LORs allows for students to showcase professors who know them personally and professors who the college know personally. These are just my thoughts. I really don't know.

PS Don't go overboard with like 12 LORs.

[chimerical]

If the school will accept it (some specifically state not to send more than three or four) and you think that letter writer will be able to add something significant that the others can't, then go ahead. If the extra letters are covering the same ground as the others then I'd be more hesistant to send them.

[alexis]

I've heard (not sure how true this is) that the adcoms will sometimes just read the first 3 letters if they require 3. So you may be taking your chances to have your 4th not read (which could be your good one). However, I would think that if the application welcomes more than 3, then they will read them all.

[MnogoSpageti]

Great information

[Ancalagon The Black]

Well, the reason I am asking this question is that a couple of programs I am applying to state that they wouldnt mind reading additional LORs and indeed, there are even spaces to add "optional" letters of recommendation. Moreover, the application form itself states that the LORs are not listed in any particular order.

Now, I am not going to send in additional ones to places that dont require them or dont have place for them in the online form. Just that, I have 4 (strong) LORs and I was wondering, that if the application welcomes them, then is it a good idea to send them in.

For instances, 3 LORs talk a lot about my research because I have done major research with these 3 professors and also published with them. The 4th also talks glowingly about my academics because I have taken several relevant courses (Information Systems/Knowledge Management Systems etc.) and received the highest marks in the school. But, I have not done any research with him except a quantitative seminar paper (due for a publication next year) which is in progress.