<p>Hi, </p>
<p>If I focus my essay on the contributions I have made to my school orchestra, will it look bad if I do not request a letter of recommendation from my orchestra director? </p>
<p>I don't want to request one from him because an letter of rec from my orchestra director would count as an extra one right (in addition to the one required from two other teachers?)? Colleges seem to dissuade against extra letters of rec....Also, my director is not the best writer so I am not sure as to the quality of his recommendation. </p>
<p>The only problem is will my essay then look fishy to admissions officers without the supporting letter of rec from my orchestra director since it focuses on the contributions I have made to my school orchestra?</p>
<p>Thanks for any and all opinions.</p>
<p>You absolutely do not need a rec from your orchestra director to make your essay work. Do not worry about this at all.</p>
<p>But… be sure that your essay is about you and reveals something about you. A list of your accomplishments in orchestra is not what colleges are looking for. Something that maybe describes how your relationship with your instrument and ensembles developed and changed over time could work.</p>
<p>Thank you intparent :)</p>
<p>Yes thanks for the essay advice as well. I plan to detail how orchestra has helped me grow and vice versa. As long as it won’t seem fishy without the supporting letter of recommendation, I will go forward with this essay!</p>
<p>I agree with intparent completely. Also, colleges expect recommendations to come from teachers in core academic subjects.</p>