How many LORs are too much?

[Slide]

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Some schools require you to send only three, some as much as five or six. However, how many LORs are too much? So far I will have four ready to ship out on June 1st from my pre-med committee, with two more in limbo. However, since I can add more letters on July 15th, I think I can add a few more letters from my other research supervisor and my supervisor at the hospital, making a possible 8 LORs. My original reason for getting so many was that the committee here actually can screen LORs (supposedly this doesn't breach the confidentiality agreement b/c I myself don't see them, but it sounds kinda sketchy) and tell me which ones I should probably NOT send out. But if all of them turn out to be pretty good, would sending eight just be too much for ADCOMs?

 

[LizzyM]

Maybe. You should have a LOR from your research supervisor, particularly if you spent more than 4 mos with the person. I hope, for your sake, that all of your letters are "usable". This "weeding" is interesting and it puts into perspective the information provided by some schools that every letter solicited by the student is attached (or quoted in its entirity).

 

[Slide]

Maybe. You should have a LOR from your research supervisor, particularly if you spent more than 4 mos with the person. I hope, for your sake, that all of your letters are "usable". This "weeding" is interesting and it puts into perspective the information provided by some schools that every letter solicited by the student is attached (or quoted in its entirity).

I looked into this, and apparently, the agreement that I sign means that I promise not to read the LOR. However, I think the committee has a loophole in that they can read the letter, but not discuss specifically what's in it. My relations with my recommenders seem to indicate that hopefully this "weeding" won't be necessary, though I've learned that I should take nothing for granted. However, if so, then I just want to know how you would feel if you had to read 8 LORs, since given that applicants are allotted so many minutes for review, maybe 4 LORs would be enough to give a clear image of the applicant.

 

[vtucci]

I had 13 LORs (I thought previously that it was 11 but I did the math the other day)-- 2 from UG, 2 from Law school, 1 from a boss, 1 peer letter (required for the FL schools), 1 research director/mentor, 6 from post-bac science professors. I did not count the committee letter.

How many good letters can you get? One bad letter is one too many. However, if you are universally praised and have a committee letter that can pull items from your classes and ECs etc. it can only help you.

 

[LizzyM]

I had 13 LORs (I thought previously that it was 11 but I did the math the other day)-- 2 from UG, 2 from Law school, 1 from a boss, 1 peer letter (required for the FL schools), 1 research director/mentor, 6 from post-bac science professors. I did not count the committee letter.

How many good letters can you get? One bad letter is one too many. However, if you are universally praised and have a committee letter that can pull items from your classes and ECs etc. it can only help you.

One bad letter means "game over". Too many letters is going to wear the patience of the person assigned to read the whole thing. While most adcom members figure that each application will take 20-30 minutes, one takes as much time as is needed to give the applicant a fair shake. It might be likened to doing an intake history and physical on a new admission. You'd like it to take 20 minutes but if there is a lot to go over and a lot of things that you need to take a good look at, it's going to take longer but you'll be thinking about the things that are not getting done because this is taking longer than expected.

 

[Vitriol]

i did 4 at the begining, and 2 more to each school that i interviewed with. i think the 4 is enough for all the initial applications. you dont need to send any more in until they show some interest in you.

 

[gregMD]

I had 13 LORs (I thought previously that it was 11 but I did the math the other day)-- 2 from UG, 2 from Law school, 1 from a boss, 1 peer letter (required for the FL schools), 1 research director/mentor, 6 from post-bac science professors. I did not count the committee letter.

How many good letters can you get? One bad letter is one too many. However, if you are universally praised and have a committee letter that can pull items from your classes and ECs etc. it can only help you.

13 LORs is absolutely, without question, ridiculous.

 

[vtucci]

I was told it was necessary because I was a non-trad. For most I agree, it would not be necessary.

In any event, we had a pre-med committee that cut and paste the relevant passages into their letter and attached the others if the ADCOMs wanted to read them. The pre-med committee also decided which to use and which to discard so the more the merrier.

 

[SpinEcho13]

13 LORs is absolutely, without question, ridiculous.

I totally agree, sounded good up tol the 6(!!!) professors. I think that is entirely unnecessary. 2 would have been more than enough.

 

[Pewl]

I had 12 LOR's on file but I never sent more than 8 to one school. For most schools, I sent 5 or 6 unless they specified a limit.

 

[Wednesday]

If you are sending individual letters, don't send more than 4-5 AT THE MOST. I would stick with three. You can always save a couple to send as "update" letters if need be later one. If you are sending a committee letter and they are just going to cut and paste parts of them, it's really up to them how many they include and it shouldn't hurt for you to include more in your file.

Remember med schools have HUNDREDS of applications to read. Having 13 letters in your file might actually cause them to reject you on principle (well, I might if I was an Adcom). Part of the application is packaging yourself well, not just throwing the tallest stack of papers at them that you can.

PS. I was a non-trad with significant post-college work experience and I had three LORs. Worked out fine.

 

[vtucci]

If you are sending individual letters, don't send more than 4-5 AT THE MOST. I would stick with three. You can always save a couple to send as "update" letters if need be later one. If you are sending a committee letter and they are just going to cut and paste parts of them, it's really up to them how many they include and it shouldn't hurt for you to include more in your file.

Remember med schools have HUNDREDS of applications to read. Having 13 letters in your file might actually cause them to reject you on principle (well, I might if I was an Adcom). Part of the application is packaging yourself well, not just throwing the tallest stack of papers at them that you can.

PS. I was a non-trad with significant post-college work experience and I had three LORs. Worked out fine.

My post-bac program did not send all 13 but used clips from them and the pre-med committee at my program asked us to get as many as possible so they would have choice and could also proclaim with conviction that our character was a certain way as attested to by X number of professors, docs etc. Check with your school's program for what they want-- nothing is worse than running afoul of the pre-med committee.

If the profs will let you see them, you can pick and choose or if they want you to write your own, better yet.

 

[Duchess742]

Some schools require you to send only three, some as much as five or six. However, how many LORs are too much? So far I will have four ready to ship out on June 1st from my pre-med committee, with two more in limbo. However, since I can add more letters on July 15th, I think I can add a few more letters from my other research supervisor and my supervisor at the hospital, making a possible 8 LORs. My original reason for getting so many was that the committee here actually can screen LORs (supposedly this doesn't breach the confidentiality agreement b/c I myself don't see them, but it sounds kinda sketchy) and tell me which ones I should probably NOT send out. But if all of them turn out to be pretty good, would sending eight just be too much for ADCOMs?

yo dude, you might not know this about our committee, but they actually rank your letters. so i think it's prob good to get as many as you can, and ask them to send out the best/most representative 4-5 to each school. it can't hurt to have more sent to career services...they can always decide what's best to do with them. 🙂

 

[riff raff]

if you're sending over 40 LORs to one school during the same application year, then that is too much. Anything less than 40 though is fair game. Hope that helps clarify any confusion on this topic. ttyl

 

[swifteagle43]

pick important people