Unpopular Opinions: Less is more (when it comes to recs)

A recommendation (or two or three) is simultaneously the most and least stressful part of the application. Theoretically, it’s easy. You find a teacher (or two, or three) who knows you and your capabilities, ask them politely (face to face, spring of junior year and then again fall of senior year) to write a nice letter about you, and then give them a list of schools, stamped and addressed envelopes, and a thank you card or gift.
No writing, no pressure, no work.

At the same time, good rec writers are hard to find. You need someone who can write about your talents as an academic, but they need to write something to make you stand out from all of the other incredibly talented applicants. You want someone who knows you fairly well. Some teachers require hounding and constant reminders. You have basically no control over anything they say, and you’re never going to see what they write.

Some students believe that the way to make their recs stand out is to pile them on.

But this is a bad idea.

There’s a phrase in college admissions, “The thicker the file, the weaker the applicant.”
What this means is that if you send in too many additional things, the admissions committees are going to start to worry about what you are compensating for.

Many students try to have as many recs as possible, but really, one excellent recommendation is better than five mediocre ones.

Most school require two: A guidance counselor and a teacher.

I would say that you should send in one, maaaayyyybbbbeee two additional recs. But that is IT.

The first two are set in stone. Your guidance counselor might not know you well, but they’ll often ask for some additional information to help flesh you out. The first teacher rec must be from a core subject (Math, Science, English, History).

Oftentimes the third rec will come from an adult who knows you well but couldn’t write the first two recs. Maybe it’s a music teacher, your boss, or your soccer coach. The fourth could be from an alumni who knows you well, or a double from the previous list.

I think 2 (or 3) recommendations is perfectly adequate for most students.

Finally, a recommendation from someone famous or important sounds like a great idea, even a hook.
It is not.
Admissions will roll their eyes and assume it’s from their assistant, or a generic letter. It will come off as a cheap play, not as a genuine recommendation.

Don’t be that student who’s sending in 5 teacher recommendations, or a recommendation from every family they’ve ever babysat for. Even in different subjects there is going to be a lot of overlap, and you’re just going to waste your reader’s time.

So, personally, I believe that when it comes to recommendations, less is usually more.