<p>first off...congrats!</p>
<p>I'm a junior and will apply next year. Here's my question...how many rec's did you send. I want to send more than the two they allow, but I don't want to look bad. </p>
<p>Thanks!!!!</p>
<p>Well, will your third rec really say anything about you that the other two haven't already said? If not, and it's just another person writing about the same good characteristics you have, then definitely don't. I actually asked my college GC the same thing, and she said to not do it at all (send in extra stuff)--according to her, Columbia admissions counselors get annoyed when students send them materials which exceed their requirements--esp. when they don't really "add" to your application.</p>
<p>One would add....a coach for my sport that I do outside of school where I compete nationally. </p>
<p>Also, I'm going for engineering and I hate that they make you use a math teacher. My college rec's are going to come from a science and english teacher who really know me well and will write excellent rec's. By having to do a math teacher - I'm not real close to any that I've had so they don't really know me - I'll have to eliminate one of my good rec's to keep it to the two rec's. Thanks for the input. I REALLY appreciate it.</p>
<p>I added one from my research mentor @ Columbia. That probably helped some (i sent in research too).</p>
<p>believe it or not, I sent four.</p>
<ul>
<li>Freshman-year analytical physics teacher (I was in a class with all seniors, he was impressed)</li>
<li>Sophomore-year European History teacher (I loved her class and loved her, which showed)</li>
<li>My principal. Yes, that's right. (He was a driving influence in me getting a job that ultimately turned my application - and life - around. He had much to say about my increased maturity)</li>
<li>My boss at the above-mentioned job (who also had much to say about how I had changed in a year).</li>
</ul>
<p>I think any hard science teacher is perfectly acceptable as a substitute for the math rec. Just make sure the teacher can speak to your analytical abilities. Physics or Chem is OK. Bio / earth science, probably not. And definitely leave out the Astrology teacher :)</p>
<p>This is making me feel alot better. I don't want them to get my application and be p'd off once they see three or four recs.</p>
<p>I sent 4.
GC
Employer/APUSH teacher
English
Marh</p>