Group LOR Forum

[sven]

Is it possible to get a LOR that is signed by 2-3 teachers at a school in which I taught? Or must I choose just one co-worker/supervisor who would write the LOR?

[merichard87]

Why would you need or want 3 professors to sign one LOR?

[sven]

they're not professors. they're co-teachers/supervisors at a high school that i taught at. i wouldn't want to get separate letters from each of them because they will mostly say the same things. so my question is: should i just choose one or is it ok to have multiple signatures under the letter as a show of the whole department's support or something?

[cynthia rose]

I'm an 0L so take what I say with a huge grain of salt.

First, I think a LOR from an actual professor (i.e., someone who taught you, not someone with whom you've worked) is preferred to work-related LORs. It doesn't matter that your co-workers and supervisors are teachers; they cannot vouch to your capabilities as a student. At least, this is what I have always heard about LORs since I started looking into law school. With that said, if you have been out of school for a while and aren't in touch with any of your old professors anymore, LORs from supervisors are just fine.

Now to your particular question: if I saw a recommendation signed by three of your supervisors/co-workers, I would start to wonder if you wrote the letter yourself and then passed it around the teacher's lounge so they could all sign it at the bottom. It probably isn't explicitly disallowed, but it likely is also extremely uncommon and most people would instinctively ask the same merichard87 did - "why didn't each person just write separate letters?" Don't raise questions that don't need answers, it will only make them suspicious.

Get SEPARATE letters from all of them. It doesn't matter if what they say is redundant - in fact, that would be what I would want, two (or three, though I don't know of any schools off the top of my head that will take more than two) strong LORs. I am sure that even if they talk about the same things, they'll all say them in a different way. If the redundancy issue is still a big deal to you and you decide you only want one recommendation from where you work, a supervisor > co-workers. Always go with the person holding the highest title.


Again, I'm an 0L, but I'm just basing this on what seems most logical given what bits I do know. Good luck in your cycle!

[creatinganalt]

they're not professors. they're co-teachers/supervisors at a high school that i taught at. i wouldn't want to get separate letters from each of them because they will mostly say the same things. so my question is: should i just choose one or is it ok to have multiple signatures under the letter as a show of the whole department's support or something?

There is almost no upside to LORs - why on earth would you take a risk with them? Here's a less stupid idea: try to steer the references to say different things OR pick another reference.