Hi everyone. So I asked my Spanish and Gov teacher for recommendation letters, and I’m really close with both of them, so I think those letters will be good. However, some of my schools require a STEM teacher recommendation, so I asked my Physics teacher who I am not close with at all. I imagine it’s not a great letter, and I just looked on CA and saw that my counselor sent all three of them to Harvard even though I did not request the Physics letter sent. Harvard only asks for two, and I don’t want them to use the Physics letter as one of them. Will this hurt me? Anything I can do?
My counselor says there’s nothing she can do about it BTW. Also I can see that Harvard hasn’t downloaded the letter yet.
Of COURSE there is something your counselor can do!
I think it is reasonable to ask your counselor to call the Harvard Admissions Office and ask the letter be removed from your file. Since it was HER error, she should be the one to call.
Have your parents call your counselor if you think she would be more likely to listen to them.
@skieurope @gibby what do you think? can my counselor call and make sure they use the right two recs?
Sorry, I’m just seeing this now. Unfortunately once your Common Application has been submitted, additions or subtractions cannot be made. I’m sure having an additional data point from your Physics teacher did not harm or hurt your application.
BTW: What happened – accepted, deferred or rejected?
@gibby I’m applying RD so haven’t submitted my application yet actually, my GC just sent the letters in advance. My main concern is that, if Harvard only wants two recs, then one of mine (the ones I did want sent) won’t be read or will be diluted by an extra third one that I did not intend to be submitted as like a “supplementary” rec or something. Do you think it would be reasonable to ask my GC to contact Harvard and communicate to them which two recs were meant to be submitted? I don’t think the third letter will add anything to my app, just take attention away from the other letters, so if at all possible, I’d love it not to be reviewed.
IMHO, you should just let it go, as it’s not worth bothering Admissions about it. In fact, it might raise a red flag – making Admissions wonder what this student and GC think is so bad in a 3rd LoR that they don’t want me to read it? If you are rejected, it will not be because your GC submitted a 3rd LoR to Harvard when they asked for two LoR’s.
I’m with @gibby - let it go.
@skieurope @gibby okay thank you both, that’s what i’ll do!