Ok to go over max LOR requirement?

[pillowsnice]

I have 5 letters lined up to submit with my application. However, I've noticed that some schools only want 3 or 4. Would it not be smart to submit all 5? My school sends all letters in a packet, so it would be hard to pick and choose letters for each school.

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[XxThaDoggxX]

No. Submit no more than the max number they ask you to, from what I have heard some schools will not even look at them, and will be annoyed you couldn't follow simple instructions.

 

[JustAPhD]

Don't be a special snowflake in a negative way.

 

[mordac21]

If its a committee letter, I believe that many schools will allow the extra letters to be bundled in.

 

[pillowsnice]

I'm also going by what the MSAR says as the max letters. Some don't specify on their websites so I'm not sure where MSAR got the number from.

 

[soswim]

I had a committee letter bundled in with six additional letters of rec. and no school cared, and it seemed that every interviewer had read all the letters. It was all submitted as one "letter packet" so I couldn't pick and choose specific letters to submit to specific schools. If that's how your undergrad submits letters then it's completely fine to go over.

 

[Cara Delevingne]

I sent out 6 separate (not bundled) through AMCAS to every school. Downstate specifically says 2 max, I got accepted, among others with maximum suggestions. I had above-average numbers/ECs but interviewed late, which may have been due to the delay in my app from going over the limit.
Probably worth it if you REALLY want that extra LOR to be sent in, but I'd advise that you try your best to follow their instructions.

If your school sends it in a package, you're fine.

 

[Cookiess]

I believe many med schools ask you to submit a letter packet/committee letter if you have that option to do so (as opposed to individual LOR).

If you're planning to submit individual LOR, I would double check by going to each school's website and looking up their specific LOR requirements. If a school specifies on their website that they will take a max number of LOR, I wouldn't submit more than their max. Some schools only list their minimum LOR requirements and don't specify a maximum so you could submit all 5 for those schools. I ended up submitting 5 LOR to the majority of schools I applied to.