<p>How much do additional recommendations help in the admissions process? Specifically, would they help for an Ivy League school? I plan on getting the required teacher and counselor recs, but I also would like to add one from my private art teachers and pastor.</p>
<p>Top schools say that an additional rec is only useful if it can give them something quantitatively not in the other recs you’re submitting. Can that come from your art teacher or pastor? Yes. But unless that body of the LOR contains clear anecdotes, another general “he/she’s a great kid and works hard” rec is next to worthless. As you can imagine, practically anyone can get people to write these types of saccharine recs for them. </p>
<p>And don’t submit two supplemental recs no matter how great you think they might be.</p>