<p>My friend wrote my peer recommendation for Dartmouth, and I was thinking of submitting to other applications as an additional reference. There seems to be quite a negative stigma around these forums of submitting the peer letter outside of Dartmouth. </p>
<p>However, take Cornell, for example. On the Common App, it says:</p>
<p>"Other Recommender</p>
<p>Recommender types accepted: Arts Teacher, Clergy, Coach, College Access Counselor, Employer, Family Member, Peer, Other</p>
<p>Required: 0 Allowed: 3"</p>
<p>If they allow 3 and one says Peer, why is this such a bad idea? I noticed it because I'll be submitting one additional reference letter from my research mentor from the Intel STS competition. </p>
<p>I'd think worst case is that a place like Cornell will just ignore the peer letter. Presuming the peer letter isn't utterly horrible, I'd imagine it can add marginal value (even if so marginal that it's near 0.1% value) or worst case simply zero value. My thought is that it's not the same as another teacher letter. Whatever insight Dartmouth thinks it can add in terms of offering an insight into my personality in a way essays and teacher letters cannot, I don't see why that would not be possible elsewhere. Again, worst case, it just does nothing, no? However, this forum almost implies it would be the worst decision I can make.</p>
<p>Although this thread looks like it never took off, I was about to start an identical one. I DID use my Dartmouth peer rec for Vandy (I was rejected ED from Dartmouth, but the peer rec is very, very solid and is generic; no “Dartmouth” verbiage). Can some please share some thoughts? I don’t know about Cornell, but from Vandy’s website, peer rec looks like it helps (i.e., or COULD help) significantly.</p>
<p>I’ve been thinking the same thing–I don’t see why this could hurt. I think if it shows a unique side of you, there’s no reason you should not submit it if it’s allowed.</p>
<p>Un solicited LORs generally dilute the strength of the rest of your LORs. A peer of a college applicant is only a HS student. What contextual basis is his/her opinion based? That’s why teacher recs are MUCH more important than employers, coaches, etc. Another HS student? Even worse.</p>
<p>It’s not as if other colleges aren’t aware of Dartmouth’s singular request for a Peer rec. Do you see them breaking down the doors asking for one? No? There’s a reason why… (granted, I haven’t investigated the claim about Vandy)</p>
@javislife1998 the CA is an omnibus form used by hundreds of colleges. They expect that you’re wise enough to read each colleges’ specific requirements.
This is an older thread so I’m just going to leave a comment then scaddadle, but I think part of the reason peer recommendations have significantly less value in the eyes of other colleges is because teachers have seen your actual schoolwork and can contest to your academic capabilities. Peers, while providing a different perspective, do not convey the same insight that teachers have, especially since teachers have years of experience. Similarly, it can be difficult for a student to be objective when evaluating a peer, it would almost be like asking a parent to write you a recommendation (which by the way, was an optional component of another school, Smith I believe)
But overall I believe it is a mistake to send a peer rec to a school that doesn’t ask for it. They would file it under extraneous information at best and dillute your other recommendations at worst