Additional letters of recommendation? And how many is too much? :S

[nolee]

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Hi guys!

I'm SURE I read this somewhere, but it's really late and my mind is completely shattered, so my apologies if it's repetitive.

1) Can we send additional letters of rec as "updates" to the schools we're applying to? I know that we ourselves can send in an update letter for new experiences, but can letter writers also do that as well? (I'm 99% sure the answer is yes, but I just want to corroborate)

2) How many letters is too many? I'm thinking about sending in six: the standard 3 instructors, a research supervisor, a volunteer coord, and a MD. Is this overkill? I just want to send the latter 3 in because I feel like they would more accurately represent my post-graduation experiences (since I've been out of school for a while).

Thank you!!

 

[SrootsWwings]

Hi guys!

I'm SURE I read this somewhere, but it's really late and my mind is completely shattered, so my apologies if it's repetitive.

1) Can we send additional letters of rec as "updates" to the schools we're applying to? I know that we ourselves can send in an update letter for new experiences, but can letter writers also do that as well? (I'm 99% sure the answer is yes, but I just want to corroborate)

Conjecture here, but a rec letter from a writer as an update, and not as a letter of recommendation primarily, seems not to fulfill the primary purpose of letters, which are to act as a testament/evaluation of your character, etc... I think an adcomm would find it strange to here facts you could be telling them in a letter. If the letter is a letter of recommendation that also brings in stuff you didn't mention on the app, that's bonus, but it should first and foremost fulfill its function as a letter of recommendation/evaluation.

2) How many letters is too many? I'm thinking about sending in six: the standard 3 instructors, a research supervisor, a volunteer coord, and a MD. Is this overkill? I just want to send the latter 3 in because I feel like they would more accurately represent my post-graduation experiences (since I've been out of school for a while).

Thank you!!

This varies by school - I made an excel sheet logging the minimum and maximum numbers of letters each school takes, what kind of letters they want, etc... made things much easier to keep up with. Some seem happy to take what you can give them, others want exactly, say, three. I personally have trouble imagining a real need for more than 6 or 7 though.

Good luck!!!

 

[Amygdarya]

From what I understand, more letters=more work for adcoms, which is not necessarily something they look forward to considering how many applications they have to sift through. Plus, quality>>quantity: the letters have to be strong and, ideally, from people who know you well. I read somewhere that submitting weaker letters on top of stronger one "dilutes" the letters and the general impression of the applicant.
Just something to consider.

And I agree with SrootsWwings that it's a good idea to find out how many letters individual schools want. Some schools require a certain number of letters (3) - no more, no less, which in practice means that, if you happen to send more, the school accepts the first 3 that arrive, regardless of how strong they are. But AMCAS allows you to specify which letters should go to which schools.

 

[nolee]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate all your advice. Will give it a little bit more thought before I submit...thank you once more!

 

[68quebec]

let me bump this. I have a same problem here too. I'm going to have 3 profesor LORs, 1 supervisor LOR, 5 MDs, 1 DO LOR. is this way too many?

 

[Patassa]

let me bump this. I have a same problem here too. I'm going to have 3 profesor LORs, 1 supervisor LOR, 5 MDs, 1 DO LOR. is this way too many?

Yes, entirely too many. Scrap the MD's and DO. Maybe keep the supervisor one, depending on your adcom and what they want.

 

[SN12357]

let me bump this. I have a same problem here too. I'm going to have 3 profesor LORs, 1 supervisor LOR, 5 MDs, 1 DO LOR. is this way too many?

Agree with @Patassa, entirely too many. 5 MDs and a DO? Were these your PIs or just people you shadowed? If they're just people you shadowed those letters are not worth much and will be extremely repetitive.

Keep the profs and the supervisor. Include the MD and DO letters only if they can say something substantial, and choose only the best one (with the caveat that if you are applying DO you may specifically need the DO letter just for some DO schools).

 

[68quebec]

Yes, entirely too many. Scrap the MD's and DO. Maybe keep the supervisor one, depending on your adcom and what they want.

Agree with @Patassa, entirely too many. 5 MDs and a DO? Were these your PIs or just people you shadowed? If they're just people you shadowed those letters are not worth much and will be extremely repetitive.

Keep the profs and the supervisor. Include the MD and DO letters only if they can say something substantial, and choose only the best one (with the caveat that if you are applying DO you may specifically need the DO letter just for some DO schools).

I was thinking the same thing too. I purposely obtained 3 LOR from professors because I don't have (let me rephrase this, my school doesn't have) pre-med advisor. minimum of 1 DO letter is required for DO school applications..and ..yeah somehow I was lucky enough to get many MDs letter lol.

thx for the advice!

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I had like 10 letters. The school I got into only required 2 and I sent an extra with my letter of intent.

 

[Silent Cool]

Hi guys!

I'm SURE I read this somewhere, but it's really late and my mind is completely shattered, so my apologies if it's repetitive.

1) Can we send additional letters of rec as "updates" to the schools we're applying to? I know that we ourselves can send in an update letter for new experiences, but can letter writers also do that as well? (I'm 99% sure the answer is yes, but I just want to corroborate)

2) How many letters is too many? I'm thinking about sending in six: the standard 3 instructors, a research supervisor, a volunteer coord, and a MD. Is this overkill? I just want to send the latter 3 in because I feel like they would more accurately represent my post-graduation experiences (since I've been out of school for a while).

Thank you!!

This is a good question. In general, I would not do more than six. Definitely get a few extra beyond the minimum 3, though.

Also, make sure to have them uploaded to an interfolio account.