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<li><p>Dartmouth requires two teacher recs and allows two additional recs. Of course, one of my additional recs will be a peer rec. However, I also have an employer rec available, and I'm not sure if I should submit that as well. Are two additional recs too many? My employer rec should be really good, but I'm not sure how I feel about sending four recs.</p></li>
<li><p>Is choosing the fifth supplemental essay option (basically write about whatever you want) a cop out? I was planning on submitting an essay from another college using the fifth option. Since the app isn't due until the 6th, I could write up a response to another one of the prompts if the last option is seen by adcoms as a sign of disinterest/laziness. Is this the case?</p></li>
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<li>You’re overthinking this. They want to give you the essay option b/c they want to hear what’s important to you – they’re not going to think you’re lazy. They just want to read your best stuff.</li>
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<p>Ok, sounds good. Does anyone know what I should do about #1?</p>
<p>The peer is a requirement, so you’d really only be sending one extra. Go for it. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
@AboutTheSame Is it true that the peer recommendation is a requirement though? The website says it is “strongly encouraged” but I don’t see where it says that it’s absolutely mandatory. Don’t some people get in without peer recs?
You are correct, but the point I was trying to make was that it would not be an “additional” reference as far as Dartmouth was concerned… Capisce?
Take strongly encouraged to be required (and try to get that peer recommendation)