More than three letters of recommendation

[4r45553j]

VMCAS allows you to submit up to 6 letters of recommendation, but most schools only ask for 3-5. If I submit 6 on VMCAS, is there a way to tell the schools which 3 I would like them to look at first, or is it random?

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[BlackDog17]

Some schools will only look at three recommendations, and on their supplemental application they'll ask you to indicate which three you want them to consider. I believe Colorado does this, and a few others as well. You should be able to find that information on the websites or supplemental applications for the schools you're applying to.

As for the others, I believe they will look at them in whatever order they happen to appear on your submitted application. They will look at all of them though (with the exception of the schools that ask you to choose only three) so it shouldn't really matter what order they do it in. Is there any particular reason why you're concerned about the order?

 

[4r45553j]

Thanks for the answer! I'm not too concerned about the order. I asked one professor who is also my research adviser, a vet and professor who helped me start a club at my college, a vet I worked for at home, a vet I did research with last summer, and I was also considering asking my boss (I work for the honors program at my school as a peer mentor for freshmen, sort of like an RA), and I was considering asking a vet I worked with in Latin America for two weeks in a volunteer spay and neuter clinic, but I'm hesitant because while I got an incredible amount of hands-on experience, it was only two weeks and she isn't terribly good at English. My concerns were if the last two were sent in first, I feel like they wouldn't be as strong as the ones my professors and veterinarians I have worked with for years would write. I also heard a rumor that having too many letters makes a candidate seem desperate and don't want to appear that way. I've also heard the same thing about applying to too many schools. I have a list of 10 schools I want to apply to, but am afraid that may be too many. (3.56 GPA, GRE: 69% quantitative, 87% verbal, 97% analytical writing--may or may not retake).

 

[BlackDog17]

I wouldn't worry about how many schools you're applying to. I don't think the admissions committees know how many schools you applied to, and even if they did I don't think they would care. For what it's worth, I applied to 11 schools.

It really isn't necessary to have more than three recommendations, in fact most schools explicitly state that additional recommendations won't give your application any extra benefit. So if you're really concerned about those two I would just leave them out. You can always talk about those experiences in your personal statement if you feel they are particularly relevant. On the other hand, including those recommendations won't hurt your application either (unless you think those people are going to say something negative about you in their letters, in which case DEFINITELY don't include them!) so it's really up to you whether you feel comfortable including them or not.

 

[Frozenshades]

It really isn't necessary to have more than three recommendations, in fact most schools explicitly state that additional recommendations won't give your application any extra benefit. So if you're really concerned about those two I would just leave them out. You can always talk about those experiences in your personal statement if you feel they are particularly relevant. On the other hand, including those recommendations won't hurt your application either (unless you think those people are going to say something negative about you in their letters, in which case DEFINITELY don't include them!) so it's really up to you whether you feel comfortable including them or not.

👍

Quality > Quantity. Any day of the week. Many people only submit 3 ( I did) and do just fine.

 

[Lab Vet]

I am submitting 5 eLORs with my VMCAS application this cycle. For those schools that choose to read only 3, I have listed the top 3, in order of importance, in my explanation statement.

My 3 eLORs were written by individuals (one DVM, one PhD, and one MD) who actually supervised my work. The other two (one DVM, one PhD) are professional colleagues with whom I've worked closely throughout my professional career, but who were not formal supervisors. The final two letters are important, and add a unique dimension to my candidacy, but should be considered 'lower priority' than the top 3, because the authors were not direct supervisors.

Go with your gut as to whom you think would argue the best case for your admission to veterinary school. If it's more than 3, submit them. Keep in mind the advice that other folks have offered- some schools may choose to read only three. Find a way to impart to the school your selection as to which three are the most important. Lynn Maki at the University of Wisconsin suggested that I email her directly to inform the admissions committee as to which 3 LORs I considered to be the most important. She was clear in telling me that Wisconsin's admission committee may, in fact, decide to read all 5. In the case that the members did not, however, she wanted to give me the benefit of the doubt in having input in to the selection process.

Only you can decide which individuals from your past and present will best represent you. Go with your gut.

 

[twelvetigers]

Your mom has more than three letters if recommendation.

 

[4r45553j]

Thanks, lab rat, frozen shades and black dog. I did not realize you could use the explanation statement to list the priority of letters. I thought that was something on the supplemental applications. Makes me feel better that you applied to 11- I assume you were successful? Thanks, everyone.