Number of LOR's

[gizmo007]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I was looking at the website of the programs that I'm interested in, and I noticed that roughly 75% of them want three LOR's. Since ERAS allows us to send up to four LOR's, I'm wondering if I should send the three that the programs request or would it be fine to send four? Does anyone know if they mean at least three LOR's or that they only want at most three. I don't want to be one of those applicants that sends more letters than they request.

 

[babel]

Our dean said to send 4 if you've got them. So long as they don't explicitly say "no more than 3", I'd send all of them.

 

[swtiepie711]

I was told send the exact number they ask for. Anyone else have any insight into this?

 

[babel]

Hmm - well today another advisor (who does residency interviews at my home program - peds) says that if people send 4 letters instead of the required 3, he takes them all into consideration, but that it is not in itself an impressive (or damaging) thing. He did say that if you happen to know that 1 of your letters is not as strong then don't send it because that can only bring your average down. In my situation, 1 or 2 people were more enthusiastic than the others, but I really have no sense of which might be my weakest letter, so I think I'm just gonna send them all.

*sigh* Why couldn't they just make these things clear for us?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I can't imagine a program discarding your application because you sent 4 letters instead of 3.

Or, think of it this way: If there is such a program, do you really want to be there?

 

[NPEMTIV]

I can't imagine a program discarding your application because you sent 4 letters instead of 3.

Or, think of it this way: If there is such a program, do you really want to be there?

True statement....makes me feel better as I sent 4 to a few programs.

 

[QofQuimica]

I was looking at the website of the programs that I'm interested in, and I noticed that roughly 75% of them want three LOR's. Since ERAS allows us to send up to four LOR's, I'm wondering if I should send the three that the programs request or would it be fine to send four? Does anyone know if they mean at least three LOR's or that they only want at most three. I don't want to be one of those applicants that sends more letters than they request.

I was wondering about this too, so I contacted a few programs and asked. None of them told me not to send a fourth letter, and some actually encouraged me to send it. I agree that as long as they don't explicitly tell you not to send more than three, it's probably safe to assume that you can send the fourth.

 

[docbill]

I can't imagine a program discarding your application because you sent 4 letters instead of 3.

Or, think of it this way: If there is such a program, do you really want to be there?

I like the way u think. I say that to people all the time. Just because that place is top 10. Would u want to be there. Or would u be happy there.