<p>I'm thinking of sending a supplemental rec from my art teacher, from lessons outside of school, in conjunction with an art portfolio. I'm sure it will be very strong with not only in describing my art skill but in illustrating many things about my character in relation to art with a bunch of little anecdotes. </p>
<p>My main question--how heavily are these supplemental recs weighed: as much or less than a teacher rec? And how much can a supplemental rec help in admissions if it sheds light on a different side of you, such as your art skills, or if it sheds light on things your teacher rec was supposed to but didn't?</p>
<p>Probably less than the required recs. I’ve heard that supplemental recs can help a lot but it really has to be truly spectacular for that to happen. I’ve also heard that admissions people don’t like reading more than they have to.</p>
<p>I’m also going to assume that my teachers aren’t going to really delve into all these personal narratives about me on their recs, but rather, focus on what I offer in the classroom and my academic abilities. My art teacher’s rec will probably focus on my art skill (non-academic skills) and offer some sort of validation on my abilities in addition to a lot of character descriptions. Will this compensate for teachers not really going into my personality?</p>