<p>Does it help to include more than the required number of letter of recommendations? Does it hurt?</p>
<p>If you have one extra recommendation that will say something different from your teacher and guidance counselor recommendations (perhaps someone you worked for, who knows you from an extracurricular setting, a religious leader you have worked with etc.) then it could be worthwhile. But colleges definitely don’t want to read through a pile of recommendations that all basically say the same thing.</p>
<p>My son got three because one school required two academic and one non-academic, and he sent them all when he could. IMHO, if they ask for one and allow one extra, and you have a strong EC, get a rec from your coach or club advisor to show your breadth.</p>