SHOULD I GET A THIRD LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION?? Forum

[nucky thompson]

removed

[MumofCad]

I think the standard answer is no to a personal letter.

HOWEVER, as we all know, each applicant has unique characteristics that might need explaining (ie. professional recommendations for people long out of undergrad).

In your particular case, I would think that a letter that can attest to your character may be helpful, but I immediately see 2 problems with your current course: 1) This guy sounds like a personal friend or friend of the family, not someone who can impartially talk about the growth of your character past these incidents. I think a more effective letter could come from a school administrator or something, that has seen your maturation in either a professional or academic setting and can offer a more unbiased opinion (if I was in your situation, which I am not, I would ask either my current employer to touch on this or a particular administrator at my school that I grew close to and have kept up with over time about my ambitions), 2) Make sure no matter who writes, that it doesn't come off as horribly defensive or solely a response to these issues. I think it will be more effective if it can talk about your academic accomplishment and maybe some campus leadership, or other more indirect route to talk about your character without saying, "He this guy screwed up but he's actually a pretty god guy who has learned his lessons." Better to show with anecdotes your growth than to tell.

[Moomoo2u]

exactly what mumofcad said. The idea of a 3rd letter isn't necessarily bad. In fact, most schools specifically adderss this and say that they require two but will take more. My two letters were also focused on academic achievement, and in your case it might go a long way towards mitigating whatever concerns they have about your background.

Is there some kind of reahabish program you went through as a young man? Is there any concrete evidence that you don't do this stuff anymore, or anyone who could attest to it that's been involved with your misdemeanors? A judge/police officer, Guidance counselor, school psychologist, or I don't know, someone you worked with.

If not I think something from an acquaintance could work, especially if your misdemeanors are from when you were 18 and this talks about you recently. I don't necessarily agree with the friend thing, because nobody else is going to be able to judge your character, how often does a school administrator see you? Just make sure that it's not like "we were bros and he was a totally sick wingman when I was hitting on this slammin chick" type of thing.

[Yukos]

Just make sure all three are in all-caps. That way they really stand out to the adcomm.