<p>They are "discouraged" but I am curious of how serious to interpret this.</p>
<p>Only ask if it would be really, really great? In most situations, is it actually harmful? Could it be the aspect that can tip you over the edge to acceptance? Or are they simply annoying?</p>
<p>Is there anyone who has done this/is doing this who has something to say on it?</p>
<p>DO NOT send a supp rec to Yale. They state very explicitly on their website that they do not want them–they even go so far as to actually infer that they do much more harm than good. </p>
<p>Some other high caliber schools accept them, but for Yale, I would definitely hold off.</p>
<p>From the Yale Admissions website:</p>
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</p>
<p>You should submit a supplementary letter only if the writer is someone who knows you well and who will add something meaningful to your file – something substantial that is not otherwise covered in your application. </p>
<p>My son submitted one supplementary recommendation. He was admitted.</p>
<p>Don’t get one unless it is heartfelt or genuine then?</p>
<p>One problem I have is I simply don’t know how to characterize my responsibilities etc for an academic group in the detail I feel is necessary. It’s a local science program, and my greatest accomplishments in high school were in this group. I think those accomplishments are important when assessing my application, and so I wanted to ask my teacher if he would write about me. </p>
<p>That said, I don’t want another “yes yes, good leadership. good kid” rec that, yes, they would have heard before. But I do believe the teacher likes me a lot more than that. </p>
<p>Suggestions?</p>
<p>Heartfelt and genuine is not the issue. The issue is whether this person has valuable information about you that no one else can provide. If this teacher has that kind of information, a supplemental rec may be useful. I assume this is a teacher outside your high school? If so, s/he may not have experience writing college recommendations. You should let him/her know that it’s important to provide specific examples of your accomplishments and leadership.</p>
<p>hmm, in that case, how should one go about judging how novel or important the new information that a supplementary recommender can provide?</p>
<p>im considering not sending a supp rec, and then sending it if i get deferred scea. can i do this, or should i just send it or not send it when i apply?</p>
<p>Only send it if it’s something that’s not already been said in the other 2 recommendations.</p>
<p>I’ve been advised to send one from an employer because I’ve been out of school for a few years and my high school recs aren’t from people who know me from recent years. But that’s the only kind of situation in which I think it would be beneficial… if it’s from someone who you can be sure will say something different about you, then go for it. If it’s just more of the same they’re seeing in the counselor and teacher recs then maybe don’t.</p>