<p>So in addition to my 2 teacher recs, I'll be getting a supplemental rec from my science research mentor, because research is pretty much my life and I've dedicated SO much time and effort.</p>
<p>Originally, I was pursuing another supplement - a 4th - but now have decided to forget it. Should I?</p>
<p>It would be from the president of the pharmaceutical company that I intern at. He's a pretty big deal in the science world in terms of the research he's done.</p>
<p>Since I won some big awards this year, he did get to meet me and discuss my project with me. Also, he's close with my mentor, who probably showers me with praise if and when they talk about me; and he really likes my mom, who has worked there for my whole life. He's seen me since I was a baby. </p>
<p>So while he knows me much better than the average intern at the company, his rec probably can't contribute much to my application besides his name (which, again, is pretty impressive itself), so I'll probably forego pursuing this 4th rec. However, he's a Columbia alum...maybe for my Columbia app?</p>
<p>Just my two cents, but I don't see why this recommendation wouldn't be a huge boost to your application. It reaffirms your dedication to research; the only potential issue would be repetitiveness, but atleast it would be positive repitition.</p>
<p>On a side note, not to hijack this thread, but is a supplemental rec from a retired teacher worthwhile, too? A former English teacher knows me well and we still communicate; she has a PhD and considers me one of the top students she came across in a thirty year career.</p>
<p>But back to the OP: I don't think it could hurt.</p>
<p>thanks - my only concern is how most colleges don't want more than 2 recs, let alone 4...and if the 4th is a bit generic, it might annoy the adcom instead of impress, kwim?</p>
<p>Well, they can't possibly think that by sending an extra rec you are trying to annoy them. It just shows that you are very interested in the school. I'd still go for it.</p>
<p>mm not necessarily (about the showing interest thing)? with 2 required recs, and the adcom already having to read SO much stuff, 2 supplements might work against me if the 4th is a bit generic</p>
<p>Since he does seem to relate to your interests quite a bit, the worst that can happen is admissions will glance over it. As long as you don't send more than 2 supplemental recs, you're fine.</p>
<p>Your immediate mentor would be the better person to write the
supplementary recc. </p>
<p>A supp recc should add to the picture your app paints for the
reader. If you need 2 reccs in the same area, the recc is not
well written.</p>
<p>I found after my entire app process was over that alum reccs
do indeed make a big difference. However the proximity in terms
of a working context of your recommender is more improtant than
the alum angle.</p>
<p>Colleges request 2 LORs, you send 4. I wouldn't recommend this for 2 reasons: it shows that you either can't follow directions or don't think that the rules apply to you; and a LOR from a high ranking person that does not have concrete contact with you is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and not one that AOs are likely to be impressed by.</p>
<p>thanks all! I'll probably stick with my 3 for now (cos my mentor is a must, I think) at any school accepting supplements, and maybe the 4th for columbia alone....</p>
<p>and I might be able to get a rec from Roy Vagelos for Penn. no, he doesn't know me at all, but that's a very, very important name :P much more so than the guy I'm talking about now, who's already a big deal. at Vagelos' level, does it really matter that he doesn't know me?
especially b/c I'm interested in the Vagelos LSM Dual Degree program</p>
<p>Colleges have thousands upon thousands of recs to review. I mean, the admissions officers are humans too, and they'd rather see SUFFICIENT number of recommendations, not an excess of them.</p>
<p>When the colleges say that you can submit extra recommendations, that's often limited to only one more. And ONLY if that recommender is going to give the admissions officer OTHER insight of you, than the other required ones.</p>
<p>Otherwise, if that rec sounds the same than the others, well, you've just wasted a few more minutes of their time, which means unhappy, tired admissions officer :O</p>
<p>Four is a bit much. I mean what could the 4th guy say other than: "OP is a great person, a good intern, blah, blah, blah" because anyone could say that. Unless you two spent significant time outside of your internship, I say no, not even for Columbia.</p>