submitting LORs..is there a strategy?

[confusedchild]

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I know that certain schools are more research oriented and others are more clinical, and most schools limit the number of LORs you can send them. And even if they didn't, I don't think it's a great idea to send anymore than 5 (I think 5 is already pushing it, 4 I think is the optimal). So here's the question. The reason why I asked for so many LORs was that I know some schools are very strict in the kind of LOR that they want as in some won't take engineering as science and others won't take professors who have taught me in a lab. I've gotten a hold of the following LORs so far.

---------------------academic letters-------------------------
- one from an English Composition lecturer. Took two writing intensive courses with him and he really likes me. Says he's writing about my approach to life, philosophies, ideas in the letter. I go to his office hours and we talk about things ranging from current events to religion and philosophy - very strong, personal, and glowing letter
- one from a biology lecturer (took two biology courses with him and he really likes me as well) - very strong letter
- one from an Electrical Engineering professor (took my capstone design course with him. He loved my project and really liked that I pushed the boundaries to try something new) - should be a strong letter
- one from another Electrical Engineering professor (took a lower div EE class with him - class title is "physics - elec. engring" so is classified as BCPM) - I don't know him that well but he said he wrote me a strong letter based on my CV and his talk with me
- one from a Civil Engineering professor (took upper div course with him - I think the class can be classified as BCPM) - I fell asleep in his class a lot but I talked to him a lot at office hours and he seems to like me. Walked out rank 1 and he offered to write me a letter (I wasn't going to ask, but if he's going to write it...why not take it..)
---------------------extracurricular letters-------------------------
- one from PI of a genetics lab that I've been volunteering about 8 hours/week for the past two years. He knows me very well because I work directly under him, which made me wonder if it'll be a good letter since he knows my strengths and my faults. I made a post about this earlier this week. He did write me a letter in the past, from which I won an award. He is a professor. - I don't know if it'll be a good or medicore letter, most people say it'll be good.
- one from a club advisor. I've known him since my freshmen year in college as he is the club advisor for multiple clubs I've been an officer of - should be a strong letter.

So now that I've listed my letters and my opinion of how strong I think they should be, I'm conflicted on which letters to send to what schools. For research heavy schools, is that letter from the PI a must? Also for schools like vermont, drexel, etc, should I even submit the PI letter since they're not as research oriented? I have 7 letters, and I feel like i can submit only 4 or 5 of them. I feel like other than 1 or 2 of them that may stand out among the rest and being stronger, the other 5 should be about the same strength. For engineering courses that are classified as BCPM, I should be able to submit these letters as science LORs right? That letter from the EE prof who taught me in the capstone design course, I think I should be able to use it as a science letters for some schools that aren't as strict. If you were me, how would you submit these letters?

Also, I am going to apply to Texas schools. They only take 3 letters. I was thinking about submitting the english lecturer, the biology lecturer, and the EE design course professor. Is that a good idea, or should I use another combination?

 

[Ponger]

You're thinking way too hard on this. Simple rule, go with the strongest letters (or whichever ones you think are the strongest) and how well the person knows you.

I think your English LOR and lab PI LOR are two crucial ones. You don't really have alternatives for those categories and you also say they're strong.

I wouldn't worry too much that your PI knows your strengths and weaknesses. You'd be surprised but a LOR writer knowing your weaknesses (as long as they're not glaring) gives credence to the reader that the LOR writer actually knows you well. You quite clearly state that some of your LOR writers only know your academic successes but not you personally.

Those letters aren't terribly exciting to read. "Student X is a good candidate for medical school because he's smart; he finished x/200 students in my class". It's obvious how well you did by your grade in the class. I.e. a LOR that only says that information is kinda worthless.

 

[AdmiralChz]

Use your strongest letters for each school.

I really wish I didn't have to use my premed committee letter - on my last interview I found out they said negative things about me!!!!!!!