<p>UVA is my top choice tied with Berkeley, so I want everything to be perfect, and I had a question about my recs that my counselor wasn't very helpful with.
I know the requirement is one, but I sent in three teacher recs. Now for my fourth one, I have a teacher who graduated from UVA who knows me decently well, but she taught me biology in ninth grade. The alternative would be my AP Calc AB teacher from 11th grade, but she barely knows me (I doubted she even remembered me until she claimed she did), and god knows what college she went to.
So for my final rec should I go with a smarter UVA alumnus who knows me but taught me in ninth grade, or an AP teacher who taught me last year, but barely knows me and isn't very bright...</p>
<p>Neither. Four is too many recs. </p>
<p>They require one and suggest that you don’t send in more than two unless for extenuating circumstances.</p>
<p>Oh really? Okay thanks I’m glad I know that.</p>
<p>We don’t really have a limit. We’ll read whatever is sent, but four recommendations, all from people who know you in the same way (through your work in the classroom), might be a little redundant.</p>
<p>So if I sent the rec from my ninth grade teacher who knows me a little better than the rest, would it hurt more than it’d help?</p>
<p>sorry for the confusion – with “extenuating circumstances” i meant send only one or two teacher recs and other recommendations if you wanted to highlight something else in your life. If you wanted to include another from a coach or an employer or that type of thing, it would be favorable. Otherwise I can’t see additional teacher recommendations hurting or helping much. If they all say you are a dedicated, strong student, then what are you gaining by sending 4 instead of 1?</p>
<p>I sent three recommendations I believe – one from a teacher whose class I really struggled in but eventually pulled through, another from a class where I was always a solid student, and the one from the Chief of Staff from the government office I interned at for about 6 months.</p>