How Many LORs Did You Need Overall??

[anonymousername]

For AMCAS, secondaries, waitlists....how many did you need? who did you get it from? were you able to read/write it?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Naijaba]

If they let you submit 6, submit 6. Even if the first 5 are amazing, they can always ask "You only know 5 people?"

 

[BlueElmo]

I had 5.

 

[bobsmith]

4: two science professors, one non-science professor, one work supervisor

it worked out kind of nicely because one of the professors was also my research PI too and another professor was also my advisor for my major. otherwise, i probably would have had more.

 

[Morsetlis]

^ Faulty reasoning.

 

[MiniMoo]

I got a letter from every professor and reference who I was sure would write me a strong letter. I ended up with a collection of 9 letters and basically sent different ones to different schools in a way that would most benefit my application.

 

[metallica81788]

You really only need 3. I don't see how any more will help tremendously unless they're all spectacular and from extremely in-depth experiences.

A lot of schools say ONLY 3 and hate when you send more.

 

[Naijaba]

It is just strange IMO to have less than the maximum allowed. I mean, even if 2-3 letters are spectacular, how can having more hurt you? I guess it's logical for one letter to be so dull that it undermines your more vibrant letters, but you should be able to find at least 6 people who can speak to your life's experiences in a positive way...again IMO.

 

[Marcus Brody]

2, committee letter and job supervisor

people get carried away with this stuff

 

[J ROD]

I only needed 3. I gave 4 and had collected 7 and picked the best based on my feelings to turn in. I asked to give no more than 4.

 

[anonymousername]

cool cool

 

[flip26]

3 is all I needed...you simply can't go wrong with 2 sci / 1 non-sci, including one from a prof in my major.

There are plenty of schools that only want to see 2 letters, and many schools limit you to 3...

I did not fool with any from volunteer activities, doctors I shadowed, etc.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

I had quite a few, but they were all pretty much needed. One from a community college instructor (required for some schools if you attended a CC). Two science profs, one non-science prof, and two PIs (again, required at some schools). Several of those were assembled into a packet/committee letter. I entered it in AMCAS as three letters, and I'm guessing most schools viewed it as three letters (unless they read everything in the packet).