<p>I need some advice in determining how many LORs can be sent. </p>
<p>My son will probably submit the Common App Arts Supplement, which indicates that one needs to send a LOR from someone who knows the student's artistic work. However, this would add an additional letter to the pile of letters that are sent. He is not applying as an arts student, but submitting an arts supplement to support his application. Most schools recommend sending the GC letter and the one or two teacher recs. Most do not want additional letters. </p>
<p>So how does one resolve this? If he has an additional letter sent related to the arts supplement, then the college might frown upon the extra letter. If he does not send the extra letter, then he is not following through on the common app instructions. Too confusing!</p>
<p>I meant that if they are sending in two LORs aside from the art supplement, then the art LOR and second teacher Rec could maybe be the same person, while still having a primary LOR from a teacher in an “academic” subject.</p>
<p>Even though art is considered an “academic” subject at my school…</p>
<p>Anyways, they would have two LOR this way. I’m not saying it’s the best way, it’s just an idea. Take everything with a grain of salt.</p>
<p>For the vast majority of schools it will not hurt to have an extra letter.
If a school does not accept extra letters, they will just through it away. It will not hurt your son’s chances to get admitted.</p>
<p>For college admissions, art is not considered an academic subject. Both teacher LORs need to be in the subjects cited. The OP should have no problem submitting the 2 required teacher LORs and an additional art teacher LOR.</p>
<p>Thank you for your responses. My concern is that a few colleges we visited have indicated that they don’t want more than the two LORs. So I don’t want them to get annoyed. I guess my son could contact the schools and find out more. Just wanted your opinions on this.</p>
<p>Were you were asking them specifically about the art supplement or were they discussing LORs in the general context of an admissions session?</p>
<p>If the former, then yes, contact the schools and ask them specifically what they want your son to do.</p>
<p>If the later, that is because they were referring to the academic LORs and were not taking into consideration exceptions like the art supplement.</p>
<p>I would never recommend that he use an art teacher for one of his required academic LORs, particularly since he isn’t applying as an art student.</p>
<p>The art LOR should definitely be extra not instead of an academic LOR. If a school is adamant that it doesn’t want extra letters don’t give them one. (Of the 15 school that my two kids applied to, only one (Stanford) said they wouldn’t look at extra letters.) Some schools we visited assured us they read everything, even if they thought there were too many letters. (GW gave the example of someone who had NINE letters. :eek:)</p>
<p>I don’t believe the LOR in an arts supplement is considered as a true LOR since the teacher will only be speaking to the student’s artistic ability. However, beware that many schools do not want an arts supplement from the common app, and instead have their own requirements and format. Some even have different deadlines for the art supplement that the rest of the application. Check each college website.</p>
<p>“So I don’t want them to get annoyed.”
They wont. you’re over thinking this. The Scientist my son did outside research for in HS sent his own LOR to both the admissions office and to his colleagues at the colleges he was applying to .As did his piano teacher of 11 years. So he had 2 more LOr’s than were required. The ONLY college that rejected him was the one who lost the scientists separate LOR [ which we found out afterwards].</p>