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<p>My principal extended a recommendation offer to me since she knows me well from an organization she leads. The problem is, I already have three teacher recommendations pending. Obviously, I can mix and match, so I will probably accept her offer, but the question is, if I should use a principal recommendation for my top schools (which are somewhat competitive for admissions, and highly competitive for merit aid). My principal doesn't know me as well as my teachers. She is aware of my involvement in various organizations, and the quality of worker I am, however, it's not like it's a teacher who I interact with everyday. I do think a letter from a principal might carry more weight than a teacher recommendation. I'm not sure if for my top schools I should go with the purely teacher recommendations, which will most likely be more personal, or if I should throw in the principal recommendation which might help me stand out from other student applicants (the maximum number of recommendations they want is two). What do you think? </p>
<p>On the subject of recommendations, my one teacher wrote a recommendation focusing in-depth on my involvement in a specific extra-curricular. My admissions essay also happens to be about this same activity. Should I submit the two together or change my essay to a different topic to show another side of me? Is it redundant to have a recommendation and an essay explaining my passion for an activity, or do the two validate each other?</p>