<p>I recently received copies of my old english teachers recommendations and it is absolutely amazing. The recommendation makes me sound like the second coming, and I'm worried that the other aspects of my application may not measure up to the picture she so eloquently painted. Thus, the question... is it possible that a great recommendation can be detrimental to an applicant's chances? Thank you for your help. (By the way it was a 'one of the top few in my career' recs all the way around).</p>
<p>If there is a huge margin of variation from other status or recommendations, then I would say yes and the adcoms may even suspect it as forged letter/document. But if none of that exists as I doubt, I don't think you should worry that much. These are all parts of the mechanism used in admissions process to exam the consistency of a candidate.</p>
<p>The app is coming along. I've been focusing the bulk of my attention to Dartmouth as of late because the deadline was before the others. I now have to turn my attention to Cornell, Penn and Stanford, but I have the majority of Penn and Cornell done; I really need to work on Stanford though. I don't think there is that much of a discrepancy between the rec and my abilities, it's just that she speaks so highly of my writing that I'm afraid my essays won't live up to her portrait. How's your app coming along? Thank you for the quick answer and good luck to you on your application as well. </p>
<p>If a recommendation is too good, then adcoms will usually disregard it. Do not ask me why, it was just wise advice that was given to me from a good source. Not every applicant is perfect, and adcoms expect the "recommenders" to be able to recognize not only the brilliance of the applicant, but his or her shortcomings as well.</p>
<p>i think its better to be hit with "too good" of a recommendation than a bad one. for example, a very generic one saying "as is shown by the A i see 'student x' earned in my class last semester, he/she is highly qualified for your university."</p>
<p>That does not refute my argument; though a recommendation that is "too good" may be better than a bad one, that does not necessarily mean that adcoms to not discard it.</p>
<p>i agree it doesnt refute the argument. that wasnt my intention, as i can show no proof as to whether adcoms do or do not discard recs that are "too good." i was just pointing out that its probably better to err on the side of "too good" than "too bad."</p>