I cannot believe how backwards and stupid this system is. Our school uses Naviance so the letters of rec automatically go to the schools on my commonapp after the accounts were matched. My most important teacher submitted her letter last so only 2 of my 11 schools have that letter, because I have 3 letters total and most only take 1 or 2. Now my guidance counselor is telling me that I can’t change the letters? Is this true?
Should I email admissions to see if they’d take a 3rd letter or is this a lost cause? I can’t believe once teachers submit a letter it’s PERMANENT.
I agree that this is backwards. DS has LORs from an English teacher and a Math teacher. He is applying all science/math/engineering. His English teacher submitted her’s first - so this LOR will go to most of his schools, solo. His Math teacher’s LOR will only go to a few. Unfortunate.
The only bright side is that he thinks they should both be equally positive.
@STEM2017 Unfortunately I believe this 3rd teacher knows me best and 9 of my schools won’t even get to read what she thinks. I’m thinking of emailing the 9 different admissions offices to see if they’d even bother taking another letter because I’m genuinely angry that this happened.
It’s very frustrating. But be sure not to pester admission officers, this will raise the wrong kind of flag.
Maybe test the waters with the school at the bottom of your list? Not sure what advice to give you. I’m sure there are some on this forum who would tell you to let it go and move on.
Good luck!
You can’t change the letters but you or your counselor can contact the schools and ask if they’ll allow the third letter.
This is also a problem because for the schools that recommend a letter from an academic teacher, Georgia Tech for example - only takes 1 letter, will get the letter from my ART teacher.
Would it be ok to email the admissions office asking if it’s possible to send a 3rd letter?
The guidance counselor needs to contact the schools, and inform them about what happened. This was not your doing, and you should not suffer because of it. This is a poorly designed system, and if they are not contacted, if the colleges don’t get the letters they request due to the system, it will look like YOU didn’t follow instructions.
Are you sure it automatically sends everything? On my Naviance portal, it gives me the option of sending it to all schools or only a selected school.
If so, I believe there’s a way to cancel a letter of recommendation. I have that option on my portal. Go to your GC ASAP and ask if there’s any way you can choose letters of recommendation. But I’m almost positive that there’s a way to cancel reqs. Check your Naviance.
@equationlover My guidance counselor straight up told me she can’t remove recommendations, and that I can only contact admissions offices and ask them if I can send an additional letter.