<p>I am really unsure about whether I should submit an additional letter or not, considering that that Yale's FAQ section "strongly discourages it."</p>
<p>The recommendation in question:</p>
<p>My mentor from my internship last summer at Boeing. I was the first intern he's ever had, and I helped him create designs for more efficient fuel cells. None of my teachers at school have seen me in a research setting, so I have a feeling that this would provide a different perspective in that sense. However, I only worked with him for 7 weeks, so it's not like this mentor has made a groundbreakingly life-altering change in me. Please help me :)</p>
<p>I personally would be inclined to not include it. He’s new at this, and if nothing else, can’t compare you to other interns he has mentored over the years. </p>
<p>^^ I agree with @IxnayBob. An extra letter of recommendation is helpful if you have published or co-authored research material that has been under the mentor’s supervision. But, if you haven’t published a paper, an extra LoR from your internship would be no better than another student getting a letter from the manager of McDonald’s. It’s nice to have that extra viewpoint, but it’s unnecessary and might detract from the two required teacher recommendations.</p>
<p>@meeranster, generally you’re not “supposed” to see the letter, but there is no hard rule about it, and my son did see his supplemental LOR. You usually sign a waiver that you won’t insist on looking at the LOR (and there are complicated rules associated with the waiver, INAL). One of my son’s teachers said that he’d show him the LOR, but then forgot to do so. </p>
<p>Btw, lest you think I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth, my son had an ongoing involvement with his mentor, was a co-author with him, and the LOR reflected that. It was soberly but well written. In retrospect, I think it was of marginal benefit.</p>
<p>Btw, if the LOR is already in the mail, I would not worryexcessively about it. The decision will not hinge on it, positively or negatively. </p>
<p>is there any way that an additional LOR could hurt me? cuz i’ve been told that if it’s a good LOR that adds something new, then it helps, but if it doesnt, then it just wont be considered. </p>
<p>@meeranster, I doubt that any LOR other than an intentionally damaging one can hurt a lot, except indirectly if a) there are just way too many of them, which is not the case here and/or b) if they decide that your submitting one one in spite of the adcom’s gentle discouragement reflects something negative (lack of perspective, desperation, etc.)</p>
<p>As I mentioned, DS submitted one because he felt it added a different dimension to his application (got the internship without any school or parental involvement in a lab that didn’t take HS students and had to jump through legal hoops in order to work in a potentially dangerous environment before turning 18). </p>
<p>If you truly believe this mentor was able to see things in you that your HS teachers didn’t, and further feel that the mentor can appropriately express these observations in writing, then I imagine that it can’t hurt. </p>
<p>I think the general “discouragement” regarding supplemental materials/recommendations is less emphatic regarding research mentors - see the final sentence in that section of the instructions.</p>
<p>“If you have been engaged in advanced scientific research, you should consider requesting a letter of recommendation from a research mentor who has been involved personally with your scientific work.”</p>
<p>@meeranster I think your description sounds like research and if you think that this letter will add another dimension, I would feel fine about sending it in. </p>
<p>This sounds like the kind of letter that might help, since it involves work you did in a context different from school. Your academic recommenders can’t really say anything about it.</p>
<p>i’m not saying that it’s going to be a cliche letter, i’m just presenting that as a worst case scenario. i’m wondering if it can only help, but not hurt… anyhow i dont think that my mentor from boeing is going to provide an entirely new perspective… so i guess i won’t submit it. thanks guys :)</p>
<p>Just to piggyback this thread I was wondering if it would be worthwhile to get a supplemental recommendation from the chief of staff of the senate office I worked in this summer? I was the youngest intern they’ve ever had and the chief of staff was very guarded at first but she ended up being really impressed by me and we got along very well. She was incredibly positive about my work performance and admired my interest in politics and she was especially impressed with me in the context of the other interns.
My whole application really focuses on my interest politics and my essay is about my internship in this office - would this be a worthwhile recommendation?</p>
<p>crzyfrog: that sounds like it’d add a perspective that could enhance your file. If you think she could share an anecdote or two, that’d be very beneficial. In your case, I’d say send this 3rd LOR</p>