Conundrum about # of Rec Letters (Please help!)

[Justus07]

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So... I need a little advice about rec letters. I've requested 6 total rec letters, not realizing that I would have to eventually choose 3-4. The problem is that I wanted to cycle the letters (since some of them might be better than others and I don't want to be using the same bad one over and over), but my school is saying I have to choose 3-4 exclusively, which they'll write a cover letter about.

Here's the breakdown:

2 Science Faculty - both for a lab course (for one I TA'd for, but the other is a more senior member in the Biology Department who is better known for her research, education, etc.)

1 Research Mentor - bench research, lab closed down but worked 2 summers and 1 semester with him

1 Research Mentor - clinical research, well-known physician

1 Employer/Director for Residential Housing

1 Non-science Faculty

I'm wondering:

A) Which of these people I should choose for my 3-4 recs
B) If there are ways around the 3-4 rec limitation (the only thing I know is that if I'm put on a waitlist, they might want extra recs)
C) If the cover letter actually counts as an additional letter of rec

Thanks a lot for your input on this!

 

[BuckerPark]

A) Which of these people I should choose for my 3-4 recs

You should choose the ones who know you the best. Ideally, these people will be in a science related accomplishment (Professor, Research advisor, etc..) but, if not, I've always heard it's better to have somebody who can speak well to your abilities than to have somebody who has a nice title but knows little about you.

B) If there are ways around the 3-4 rec limitation (the only thing I know is that if I'm put on a waitlist, they might want extra recs)

Accompanying your secondary application, most schools only ask for 3 letters of recommendation (or the committee letter). However, it seems that many are open to receiving supplemental letters once you have been extended an interview. Anybody else, please, correct me if I'm wrong here.

C) If the cover letter actually counts as an additional letter of rec

I'm not the guy to answer this one. I graduated in 2002 and won't be dealing with the "cover" or "committee letter" during my application. It appears to me, however, that the combined letter counts as your requisite 3 letters.

Thanks a lot for your input on this!

You're welcome.

 

[KatdyerA1A]

Well from my experience, your committee letter sums you up and then takes quotes from your recommendations. In some cases I have heard that this letter is super important and sometimes the only one a committee reads when deciding on secondary or interview status. In my case I actually submitted 7 letters because I had a lot of people that knew me. I think the more the better, but they should all be solid letters from people that know you. Does your pre-med committee let you read the letters because in my case we had to waive our right to see them? Maybe you should submit all of them and let the person who is writing your committee letter pick and choose which ones he/she thinks best to represent you.

 

[xanthomondo]

co·nun·drum ([font=verdana, sans-serif] P .) Pronunciation Key (k

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n.

1. A riddle in which a fanciful question is answered by a pun.
2. A paradoxical, insoluble, or difficult problem; a dilemma: “the conundrum, thus far unanswered, of achieving full employment without inflation”

 

[Justus07]

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