How Many LORs to use Forum

[dsn32]

If you've got three solid LORs, is it a good move to send them all to schools, or should I save one in the event that I need it later? I'm starting to feel as if two good LORs will be sufficient for most places, and the third would be good to have in my pocket in case of getting WL'ed, for potential scholarships, etc. later on. Am I off-base by thinking this?

[Yardbird]

If you've got three solid LORs, is it a good move to send them all to schools, or should I save one in the event that I need it later? I'm starting to feel as if two good LORs will be sufficient for most places, and the third would be good to have in my pocket in case of getting WL'ed, for potential scholarships, etc. later on. Am I off-base by thinking this?

Some schools won't accept more than 2. Look into each school's requirements. You are right that a 3rd letter would be good to have for LOCI's and app updates after being WL'd

[dsn32]

If you've got three solid LORs, is it a good move to send them all to schools, or should I save one in the event that I need it later? I'm starting to feel as if two good LORs will be sufficient for most places, and the third would be good to have in my pocket in case of getting WL'ed, for potential scholarships, etc. later on. Am I off-base by thinking this?

Some schools won't accept more than 2. Look into each school's requirements. You are right that a 3rd letter would be good to have for LOCI's and app updates after being WL'd

Thanks! This is exactly the advice I was looking for!

[GoingForGold]

How does this work exactly? Just send in x-1 with the app and keep the last one on file with LSat and send it later?

[dsn32]

How does this work exactly? Just send in x-1 with the app and keep the last one on file with LSat and send it later?

I'm interested in this as well.... not sure how it works but I've heard many people do this. Anyone care to elaborate?

[20130312]

How does this work exactly? Just send in x-1 with the app and keep the last one on file with LSat and send it later?

I'm interested in this as well.... not sure how it works but I've heard many people do this. Anyone care to elaborate?

When your LORs are received by LSAC, they will give you a dropdown for each school and each letter asking if you want to send that particular letter to that school. You can just include the first two for now, and then if you find you need the third one later you can just update those dropdowns and LSAC will send it to the school.

[dsn32]

How does this work exactly? Just send in x-1 with the app and keep the last one on file with LSat and send it later?

I'm interested in this as well.... not sure how it works but I've heard many people do this. Anyone care to elaborate?

When your LORs are received by LSAC, they will give you a dropdown for each school and each letter asking if you want to send that particular letter to that school. You can just include the first two for now, and then if you find you need the third one later you can just update those dropdowns and LSAC will send it to the school.

Awesome, thank you!

[GoingForGold]

So, is the LoR/LOCI being crafted so as to take this fact into account?

IE...Dear School Who Waitedlisted so and so,

I think you should immediately admit him, perhaps even with a full ride, for reasons x, y, z.

Or, is it just a standard LoR?

I can't see how on the rational level the latter would accomplish anything. That said, people are all too often irrational and it could very well be the case that you get boost of sorts due to being more recently viewed.

[dsn32]

So, is the LoR/LOCI being crafted so as to take this fact into account?

IE...Dear School Who Waitedlisted so and so,

I think you should immediately admit him, perhaps even with a full ride, for reasons x, y, z.

Or, is it just a standard LoR?

I can't see how on the rational level the latter would accomplish anything. That said, people are all too often irrational and it could very well be the case that you get boost of sorts due to being more recently viewed.

From what I understand, it is just your standard LOR because then it can be used for potential scholarship applications, as well as WL. Someone correct me if this is off.....

[GoingForGold]

Ok, so, we can assume that by virtue of being wait listed one is already on the margins. I'll further assume that a bad or mediocre LoR during this phase would be disadvantageous.

It certainly depends on the school in question and their specific approach but to me it seems like it might make the most sense to simply maximally bolster one's application from the get-go in a marginal situation. Could it ever be the case that (application - 1 excellent LoR) is the difference between denial and WL? I would tend to think so...

A caveat...

(1) It could very well be the case that the ONLY things that matter are LSAT/GPA in the beginning and due to primacy effect you put yourself in an advantageous position relative to other waitlisters with sending in one LOCI in lieu of a LOR. In which case, depending on the specific makeup of your LoR collection you might very well be better off saving the best for last. So, send in the two mediocre ones during the initial phase when the only thing that matters is following the directions. They are average, you are following directions, and no red flags have gone up. Then you pounce on them with your best as a LOCI.

[06102016]

..

[dsn32]

Ok, so, we can assume that by virtue of being wait listed one is already on the margins. I'll further assume that a bad or mediocre LoR during this phase would be disadvantageous.

It certainly depends on the school in question and their specific approach but to me it seems like it might make the most sense to simply maximally bolster one's application from the get-go in a marginal situation. Could it ever be the case that (application - 1 excellent LoR) is the difference between denial and WL? I would tend to think so...

A caveat...

(1) It could very well be the case that the ONLY things that matter are LSAT/GPA in the beginning and due to primacy effect you put yourself in an advantageous position relative to other waitlisters with sending in one LOCI in lieu of a LOR. In which case, depending on the specific makeup of your LoR collection you might very well be better off saving the best for last. So, send in the two mediocre ones during the initial phase when the only thing that matters is following the directions. They are average, you are following directions, and no red flags have gone up. Then you pounce on them with your best as a LOCI.

Hmmm.... that last part may have just changed my strategy for certain reaches. Good point.

[honeybadger12]

How does this work exactly? Just send in x-1 with the app and keep the last one on file with LSat and send it later?

I'm interested in this as well.... not sure how it works but I've heard many people do this. Anyone care to elaborate?

When your LORs are received by LSAC, they will give you a dropdown for each school and each letter asking if you want to send that particular letter to that school. You can just include the first two for now, and then if you find you need the third one later you can just update those dropdowns and LSAC will send it to the school.

Just start an application that's currently open (e.g. Chicago or Cornell) and then go to your LOR page and you check out exactly how this works