Letters of Recommendation -- Who do I ask?

[agirlwithdrdreams]

I know that AMCAS allows you to have 10 LOR and I am looking for some assistance in picking my 10.

For Sure:
1. Science professor (received A) and I have been their TA for a year
2. Science professor (received 2 As for both semesters I had him) and he has been an advocate/mentor for me getting involved in research
3. Non-Science professor (received A) and have been their grader for 1.5 years
4. Non-Science professor (received A) and did an independent study with them for a semester
5. Research Mentor Professor (Microbiology) -- have been a lab member for 2 years and have completed my own individually research project (160 hrs) and presented at my college's undergraduate poster presentation

For My Remaining 5 (Unsure if one would trump others or if there is more value in one or the other)
1. Coach (D2 College Athlete) and have spent many hours with her and the team over the past 3 years
2. Nursing Assistant Supervisor in the local hospital (about 400 hours)
3. Research Mentor Professor (Medical School -- cancer) and have complete about 150 hrs of prep and introductory work and will be working with them all summer (400 hrs) starting my more intense 3-semester thesis research project (the 400 hrs from summer + at least 240 hrs more during senior year)
4. A Highly Regarded Physician shadowed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN (Total hours: 30)
5. Campus Ministry Shepard (Been a small-group leader for 2 years and involved for 3)
6. Campus Center Volunteer Tutoring Supervisor (about 100 hrs) and am a certified level 3 tutor
7. Non-Clinical Volunteering Coordinator (about 100 hours working at an after school program for youth) and am interested in a specialty with children
8. Summer Camp Director (Went there for 8 years, did the HS leadership program, volunteered for 2 summers, worked as a cabin leader for 1 summer during college, and volunteered in 2021) and am interested in a specialty with children


Any advice on which ones would be most beneficial is great. I know that all of these people would be able to write good letters and would have nothing bad to say -- so assume that.

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[KnightDoc]

I know that AMCAS allows you to have 10 LOR and I am looking for some assistance in picking my 10.

For Sure:
1. Science professor (received A) and I have been their TA for a year
2. Science professor (received 2 As for both semesters I had him) and he has been an advocate/mentor for me getting involved in research
3. Non-Science professor (received A) and have been their grader for 1.5 years
4. Non-Science professor (received A) and did an independent study with them for a semester
5. Research Mentor Professor (Microbiology) -- have been a lab member for 2 years and have completed my own individually research project (160 hrs) and presented at my college's undergraduate poster presentation

For My Remaining 5 (Unsure if one would trump others or if there is more value in one or the other)
1. Coach (D2 College Athlete) and have spent many hours with her and the team over the past 3 years
2. Nursing Assistant Supervisor in the local hospital (about 400 hours)
3. Research Mentor Professor (Medical School -- cancer) and have complete about 150 hrs of prep and introductory work and will be working with them all summer (400 hrs) starting my more intense 3-semester thesis research project (the 400 hrs from summer + at least 240 hrs more during senior year)
4. A Highly Regarded Physician shadowed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN (Total hours: 30)
5. Campus Ministry Shepard (Been a small-group leader for 2 years and involved for 3)
6. Campus Center Volunteer Tutoring Supervisor (about 100 hrs) and am a certified level 3 tutor
7. Non-Clinical Volunteering Coordinator (about 100 hours working at an after school program for youth)
8. Summer Camp Director (Went there for 8 years, did the HS leadership program, volunteered for 2 summers, worked as a cabin leader for 1 summer. volunteered in 2021)


Any advice on which ones would be most beneficial is great. I know that all of these people would be able to write good letters and would have nothing bad to say -- so assume that.

The good news is that you have an embarrassment of riches here, so congratulations!!! That said, 10 letters is overkill, so you should probably consider cutting it down. I don't think there is any school that would actually accept that many, so you really don't need to have that many in order to mix and match them. You should probably just plan on using the same, best 5 or so for all schools.

Schools will have requirements regarding professor recommendations (typically two science and one non-science), so I don't know what to tell you there, since all 5 of yours look like they will be great! Of your remaining 5, I'm not sure that any, other than the coach and research professor, would have a significant impact to an adcom, but I'd love to hear what adcoms here have to say. While the summer camp was definitely a big deal for you growing up (I did something similar, attending all through childhood before becoming a leader and then employee in HS), I don't think med schools care about childhood summer recreational activity and HS summer job references! @LizzyM, @gyngyn?

 

[gyngyn]

Most places will prefer a committee letter (except Utah).
If you don't have a committee, 2 science and 1 non-science is standard, although preferences vary quite a bit.
I can't imagine anybody wants to read 10 letters! For this reason many schools have strict limits (far less than 10!).
Very few MD schools want to see a shadowing letter ( AZx2, RFU and USUHS like "clinical letters, so for these, shadowing is probably ok). The exception is that DO schools love a DO letter (of any type).
Loma Linda does like a letter from your pastor.
Volunteer coordinators rarely write letters of much use.
Where's @gonnif when you need him...

 

[agirlwithdrdreams]

Most places will prefer a committee letter (except Utah).

Yeah, my school is smaller and doesn't have that type of program.

 

[deleted1085718]

quality over quantity. just pick your best 3.

 

[Goro]

OP, have mercy on those of us who have to read these things.

 

[LizzyM]

1, 3, 5 done! If you must: the coach's letter but only if the coach can speak to your leadership, your behavior on road trips, your williness to assess your own performance and set goals to correct deficiencies. (or that sort of thing)

 

[candbgirl]

So OP please read the responses well. Of your seven responses so far, FOUR are from ADCOM members or people who are very familiar with the process. Please don’t send 10-13 letters. Pick your three strongest writers and maybe your coach. That’s enough. Good luck.

 

[Moko]

To add one other piece of advice:
- Even though you should only submit a few letters, be sure to ask for letters from Professors #1-5 + your coach in case one of them ghosts you. Better to have letters that you won't need, than to be stuck in August scrambling for a replacement letter.