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Number of LOR?
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 2:44 pm
by DetroitRed
Is it inadvisable to submit four letters of recommendation? I have four, and I imagine they're all pretty good, but is four (all of which are from profs) too many?
I don't care if each letter past two doesn't help me. I'm just trying to make sure submitting four (as compared to three/two) won't hurt me.
Re: Number of LOR?
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 4:11 pm
by havemercylorde
DetroitRed wrote:Is it inadvisable to submit four letters of recommendation? I have four, and I imagine they're all pretty good, but is four (all of which are from profs) too many?
I don't care if each letter past two doesn't help me. I'm just trying to make sure submitting four (as compared to three/two) won't hurt me.
Have this same question. Mine're all very good letters as well, and I think each fills me out as a candidate, but.
Re: Number of LOR?
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 4:17 pm
by WeeBey
Same question, I have a great one, and two decent ones (classes I aced).
Should I submit all three? im a low gpa/high lsat splitter
Re: Number of LOR?
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 5:23 pm
by smile0751
I was told by my Prelaw advisor (a person who is pretty competent at his job) to submit as many recs as I had as long as they were strong.
Also, note that while you can't see the letter of recs, in some cases your Prelaw advisor can. I had 6 letter written for me, and he told me which four were the strongest.
Re: Number of LOR?
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 5:25 pm
by Kimikho
Submit 3 and hold one for waitlists.
Note that if you are KJD that CLS wants at least two LORs from professors, and they will hold your app until you provide them.
Re: Number of LOR?
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 5:26 pm
by Rhymes With Wolf
It won't necessarily hurt you to submit more than what's required, but you risk submitting a letter that can dilute the impact of your stronger letter(s) if it's not as good or better.
Source:
Asha Rangappa, Associate Dean for Admissions at Yale Law School wrote:I'm sure some economist could graph this out for me, but there is an optimal number of LORs for Yale and it's somewhere around 2.4. This is because of the "meh" factor. If you submit two references that are stellar, and then one that is just "meh," you immediately bring down the impact of the two great ones. There are some students who manage to find three professors who knock it out of the park for them, but many fall into the "meh" trap. Unless you are absolutely certain that your third recommendation is going to be beyond amazing, just sit tight. And please don't send more than three...that's just overkill.