<p>correct me if i'm wrong....but MIT wants 1 math/science teacher and 1 humanities?</p>
<p>how many extra recommendations is too much? i can get 2 extras that will be REALLY good (not from teachers though). Can I substitute, for example, the humanities teacher's recommendation for a counselor recommendation or one of my "extra" recommendations from someone outside of schooL?</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>i was wondering the same thing, except I really only have one supplemental recommendation....from the director of my high school musical, who I've become very close with over the past 4 years. Though I think MIT doesn't recommend additional recommendations, I would think that if it tells of what kind of person you are differently than say, a teacher you might not be very close with, it would be ok.</p>
<p>i had the same question last year when i applied early; this was what the admission office told me: do not send in any extra recommendation unless this third one tell MIT something totally different about you (for example, your research opportunity, your leadership in your clubs...). they really do not want more than two extra ones, usually one is already enough. remember the key idea here is that: your extra recommendation must provide something very unique about yourself; if it just talks about your other straight A's classes, high SAT scores, or any awards on your resume, it will haev negative effect because admission office do not want to see any accomplishment of yours being mentioned more than once.</p>
<p>the thing is...i can get probably atleast 3 good supplemental recommendations that doesn't talk about me academically...but me as a person. I can get one from a professor whose lab i did research in...the editor of the local newspaper which i've contributed to for a long time...or even a fencing coach (i compete nationally)...i'm thinking of the first two...i don't know which one though if i have to eliminate it to just one</p>
<p>The general rule of thumb with recommendations is that each should provide a good, <em>unique</em> insight on you and your character. If your recommendations won't overlap in this sense, go for it.</p>
<p>Even then, I wouldn't advise more than two supplemental letters of recommendation (in addition to the two required).</p>
<p>Coopphreak: think about it; can anybody else get the similar recommendations as you do? having a professor write you about your lab experiemtn, having your fencing coach write about your fencing, or having a local news editor write you another one--all these are so COMMON because MANY people will have the same recommendations. Unless one of these three can provide EXTREMELEY UNIQUE characters about yourself (NOT your accomplishment since your resume and the rest of application will show), you should ask that person, or else, it's better not to have them write abut it. Remember again, MANY people will have the same kinds of recommendatins.</p>
<p>We've been tempted to have someone from the software company where son has done freelance work write something, but I suspect just writing about it in an essay will be sufficient. </p>
<p>Also have been wondering about that social science/humanities recommendation. He could have his AP US history teacher do it. He got a five on the AP, but B+s on the two research papers and he's not a big class participant. The teacher is quite popular.</p>
<p>Or he could have his Latin teacher do it. He doesn't really like her much, but he's got a history (he's had her 3 out of 4 years I think) of A+ work, she recommended him for Latin Honor Society, and so few people take Latin she probably doesn't have to write many recommendations. He'll take the AP this spring.</p>
<p>Which of the two teachers knows your son the best, or might have unique insights into his character, work ethic, problem-solving abilities, approach to life, thought process, etc...?</p>
<p>If the answer is that they'd both offer pretty much the same perspective, he may want to consider the Latin teacher: if the APUSH teacher is "quite popular", there's likely to be a long line of students asking for recs, while the Latin teacher may be pleased, and have the leisure, to write a detailed and complimentary rec for him, without pressure to get lots of recs done in the same short time period. Just getting a 5 on the APUSH exam, with non-As on the research papers and not being a big participant wouldn't necessarily make for a detailed and stellar rec from the history teacher... just a thought.</p>
<p>As for the manager at the software company... as Olo says, if this person is likely to have a unique view of your son, especially if he worked there for some time or was especially productive as an intern, it might be worthwhile. But if it's not going to add to what the others say, or what your son says in his essays, it's not helpful.</p>
<p>My son had to supply a peer recommendation to another school he had applied to. The letter from his friend gave insight into a side of him that the teachers never saw. It talked primarily of him as a friend. It was unique enough that he sent it in to MIT with the rest of the stuff. He's there now, so you decide if it was a good idea or not. It certainly did not hurt.</p>
<p>Would the rec of a humanities teacher have just as much weight as a math/science teacher's?</p>
<p>You're required to provide 1 rec from a math/science teacher and 1 from a humanities/social science teacher: I suspect they both are given equal weight, or the latter might be made optional.</p>
<p>i might be REALLY dumb....but what counts as "humanities or social sciences"....is that basically anything that isnt science or math...say, an english teacher?</p>
<p>Yes, an English teacher would be a fine choice.</p>
<p>I'm not sure how well either teacher really knows my son - he's not very talkative. He's leaning to asking the Latin teacher, but I don't know how well she really knows him. I'm hoping that the physics teacher at least will have more insight. He'd probably get a very laudatory letter from the software company - he finished projects much sooner than expected and got a hefty raise without asking.</p>