Help with number of recommendations?

Applying to College
1

<p>In the Common app, on supplement pages for schools to which my D is applying, there is a drop down menu for teacher recommendations. Most of the schools require 2 teacher recs but then give the applicant the option of submitting 3 or even 4 teacher recs altogether (in addition to the GC rec and yet another "other" rec option). The websites for each school, however, say they require 2 teacher recs and none of the websites specify they should submit more than 2 teacher recs. Why the disparity between their common app supplements and their websites? I thought schools don't like to see so many recs?</p>

<p>She'll have excellent recs from the 2 teachers she has already approached but we are wondering if it is a mistake not to submit more? She is interested in studying bio/neurobio with (possibly) a teaching minor and her recs will be from her AP Psych and her Honors English teacher (combo class with AP US History). She would ask her AP Bio teacher for a rec but he taught her in 10th grade and I am under the impression schools much prefer 11th/12th grade teachers?</p>

<p>Other options: recommendation from math teacher either precalc 11th grade or AP calc teacher 12th grade?
recommendation from AP physics teacher but this will be a new teacher to her this fall, 12th grade?</p>

<p>So what I am really asking is does she need to submit a third teacher rec in math or science if she is interested in Bio? Or is it better to keep just the 2 original teacher recs even if they aren't in her major (though psych goes with neurobio)?</p>

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<p>If the school allows another one, I’d add the precalc teacher. But you’ll have to check with the schools.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your input @guineagirl96!</p>

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<p>Does anyone think the third rec should be from the 10th grade AP Bio teacher? I forgot to mention that my D went on a trip led by him (summer after 10th grade) to Ecuador/Galapagos. It was a 2 week trip for students in his AP Bio classes (so the teacher does know her outside of class as well). </p>

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<p>I think 10th grade teachers are fine if they know you well, and when I asked a Harvard admission officer whether getting recommendations from only 10th grade teachers would hurt me he said it’s better to do that if they’ll write you the best recs (but again he has a vested interest in getting me to apply so …), but most here will say that you want a junior year teacher.</p>