<p>I've heard it's bad to send too many. For the colleges I'm applying to on common app, one allows up to two letters and another allows up to four, though neither college actually requires them.</p>
<p>For the one that allows up to two, would sending the full amount be too much? Also, how many should I send for the one that allows up to four? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>The general rule is only send the amount they ask for, plus one if it adds something the others don’t, but don’t send the extra unless it’s really important. Your GC will also send one.</p>
<p>If you send more than they ask for, you run the risk of them reading only the amount they asked for and them then stopping, perhaps never reading the one that is most important.</p>
<p>Four is a very high number - plus, teachers and others don’t have the time to write that many of them if they aren’t going to be used. What needs to be said can usually be said in two (or three) letters max.</p>
<p>The maximum amount they allow is typically sufficient. It will not hurt you to send more, but they probably won’t read extras.</p>
<p>I see, ty MrMom and Mand. I this gave me a few more questions though.</p>
<p>-I know a professor who agreed to write me a rec, but I’m checking the common app and it says he hasn’t submitted yet. The deadline was Feb 1; is it too late for me to contact him and have him upload? This school doesn’t require any (max 2, I already have 1) so would it be better if I just left it off?</p>
<p>-How does the GC rec work? Is it something required for every school, like something she sends with transcript requests, or is it something I have to ask for separately?</p>
<p>Don’t send what is allowed on the Common Application just because they put extra places. Look at the admissions website for what is suggested. If they suggest 2 but there is room for 4, you would just send 2. Unless there was some extra special one from something different that shows you in a different light–you don’t just add another teacher. Maybe someone you did summer research with or a coach of something your are accomplished in.</p>
<p>So you are saying none is required. In that case I would send one. Maybe two.</p>
<p>Regarding this professor - why? did you do some work or take a class or do you just know him? If he knows you well then I suppose it is okay but sounds like not needed. Late would likely be okay, but are you really sure he wants to write it?</p>
<p>GC should know what to do, it is usually required by every school.</p>
<p>@alone555: most colleges require zero rec letters – because they aren’t evaluated whatsoever. Like BrownParent said, see what the college asks for. You’d look pretty silly submitting to rec letters to a college that accepts none.</p>
<p>I think saying “most colleges require zero rec letters” is a bit of a generalization. I think every school D applied to required either one or two. I agree it’s silly to send them if the school doesn’t want any, or to send more than the school asks for, but that needs to be looked at on a school by school basis.</p>
<p>A lot of big state schools like Cal do just throw them away if they are received. On the other hand, many schoold don’t require them, but do accept them.</p>
<p>Check each school for their requirement. There is nothing wrong sending in recommendation letters between the number of required and allowed. Some schools do not require and do not want any recommendation (e.g. UIUC). If you send in the number of letters within their allowed limit, they would not do anything against you. Nevertheless, what is more important is to have the recommendation letters that may cover different aspects of you. So you need to be selective instead of just filling up the “quota”. There is no point to send in 4 letters if some of them are redundant. Many schools are more specific on who should be your recommenders, for examples, 2 junior/senior teachers from different core subjects. </p>