<p>I'm applying to Yale in the fall, and the website says that it generally discourages additional references unless it adds something 'substantial' to the application. However, it also says that if you've engaged in advanced scientific research, you should get that mentor to write one for you. In my case, I've interned at a consulting firm all summer and I've been working directly with the CEO, who I've known for over a year. Is this sort of the same thing as 'advanced research', and should I ask her for a letter?</p>
<p>Much will be dependent upon the work that you actually performed, the results achieved, and how/why you were selected for the internship.</p>
<p>A teen interning at a counsulting firm could mean collating papers to setting up meeting rooms to doing real research or contributing notes to reports. It depends on what you did – like skieurope said. </p>
<p>It really depends if you did substantive work that could help to set you apart from other candidates because of the experience or just general office or low level type of work. If you send an extra recommendation it must say something important about you and your abilities that the teacher recommendations can’t. The admissions officers will see what you did over the summer in your work experience section of your application.</p>
<p>@T26E4 so could you give me an idea of what a ‘normal’ teen intern experience is like? I spent my time doing things like online marketing, drafting surveys, testing new apps, blogging about sustainability, and designing workshops for the youth outreach branch of the company. </p>
<p>That sounds good. Many times, summer teen hires are just gophers. Yours actually sounds like you were able to use your smarts and creativity. The only question now comes will the person writing your LoR be able to add a new dimension to your other LORs (which, if you think about it, will already cite your intelligence, creativity, ability to work with others, etc.). </p>
<p>Will this intern LOR writer be able to include an interesting anecdote? That’s be your goal I think. A half dozen praiseful lines w/o a good anecdote won’t bring anything new.</p>
<p>“I spent my time doing things like online marketing, drafting surveys, testing new apps, blogging about sustainability, and designing workshops for the youth outreach branch of the company.”</p>
<p>You’ve indicated that Yale specifies “advanced scientific research.” Come on, do you really believe that any of the foregoing activities apply and, if so, how? </p>