Sending Peer Rec to schools that don't require it?

Applying to College
1

<p>I love the idea of the peer recommendation, because I truly think it reveals a new side of the applicant. The only school that I'm applying to that requires one, however, is Dartmouth. Right now, I'm currently writing one for my friend's Connecticut College app. Would it be a bad idea to send mine to all of the colleges I'm applying to? I fear that if I do, they'll be offended since they'll probably figure out that I had to do one for Dartmouth. And I don't want to inundate them with materials, but I truly feel that it will help my app.</p>

<p>Any suggestions?</p>

2

<p>Call and ask.</p>

3

<p>IMO you should follow the instructions for each school. If they ask for a peer rec, send one; if they don't, don't.</p>

4

<p>I think schools that don't ask for one are smart enough to realize that it's absolutely ridiculous in the first place. I bet 90% of peer recs are written by the person who it is for and someone agrees to put their name on it.</p>

5

<p>Gah, that really frustrates to me to no end! I have a very sincere, mature friend who wrote my rec who took it incredibly seriously. Why do people have to always screw things up for everyone else?! </p>

<p>I guess I'll call my schools to ask their opinion as neethus suggested. Hopefully they'll understand that the rec wasn't faked since they didn't require one. But, they could be jaded. So yeah, I'll call and hear their opinions. [Hopefully they'd be able to know I didn't write it when they compare our writing styles, anyways]</p>

6

<p>Lmao, maybe I'm innocent, but I've never even thought of that.</p>

7

<p>blinkangel44 wrote: "Why do people have to always screw things up for everyone else?!"</p>

<p>You have the wrong perspective. The other colleges feel that they can correctly evaluate its applicants w/o this document. Dartmouth is the exception, certainly not the rule. Just because you feel yours is particularly strong, don't go hatin' on the other schools. Just be glad that you've slam-dunked one portion of your D'mouth app.</p>

<p>To answer your first question: I wouldn't send stuff that the schools don't specifically ask for.</p>

<p>Good luck to you w/D'mouth and others.</p>

8

<p>I'm not slamming the other schools, just the dishonest applicants.</p>

<p>Too bad the schools can't interview a peer... now that'd be interesting! Except it would probably make it unecessarily stressful for the peer already doing their own college apps.</p>

<p>But thanks :)</p>