<p>Is it advisable to submit the "optional" letter of recommendation to Stanford? They have a category for it on the common app, and if it will help me in the admissions process I'd like to ask my piano teacher or volunteer/church leader for a letter. But I don't want to ask them if it will hurt my app. Does having extra letters make it seem like I'm trying too hard?
Thanks,
Sabrina</p>
<p>Stanford does NOT like extra materials, as a general rule. If a letter is especially relevant, though, it might not be inadvisable, but use extreme prudence.</p>
<p>I would be very disciplined about sending extra. Many colleges have even more slots for optionals but it doesn’t mean it is a good idea. I would stick to </p>
<p>So can putting more letters of rec than required on your app actually HURT your chances of getting accepted? (sorry to take over your thread 
</p>
<p>Absolutely! It’s the same thing with everything else. Don’t dilute the quality that you already have.</p>
<p>Add the optional letter if it adds something to your application that the other recommendations don’t cover. For example, on my son’s Stanford app, he added a letter from his tennis coach. The coach was able to add info about his temperament during stress, leadership, and honesty. The coach wrote about thinking so highly of him that he got my son the job as the head tennis pro of a country club the coach had left. This was additional info that wasn’t fleshed out on the regular app. If the letter is a rehash of info already on your app, then it’s not worth it. </p>