If the letter of rec. is not very strong.....

yipyip0901 · 11-03-2009, 08:45 PM

My boss recently wrote me a letter of recommendation and unfortunately, it' not very strong. Do you think it's bad to send in this letter of rec. ? (it's not necessary, my school doesn't require it)

mikemac · 11-04-2009, 02:54 PM

Depending on what you mean by "not very strong" it does have the potential to hurt you. Colleges expect that applicants will deliberately select recommenders who will write favorable letters. From the point of view of an adcom, if a weak letter is the best you can come up with, what would other people have said?

HighlandMom · 11-04-2009, 04:06 PM

I'm assuming you have actually read the letter?

My d worded her request something like "Would you have a problem giving me a strong recommendation" or something like that.

Since it's from your boss, and you say it's not very strong, I would just leave it off your application package.

An0maly · 11-04-2009, 04:49 PM

I have a similar question, but for supp. rec's. My teacher/counselor recs were very well written and they all allowed me to check it out because they felt it was some of their best work. I got a supp. rec from another teacher, and it's "decent" but not amazing. Should I send it anyways or no?

WishyWashy · 11-04-2009, 05:27 PM

Absolutely do not send a supplemental recommendation if it isn't glowing. The school only asked for a certain number of recommendations, and another one should only be submitted if it sheds light on a really fantastic part of who you are that is totally unique to that recommendation and can't be found in the letters from the required teachers.

Submitting a mediocre recommendation, but ESPECIALLY a supplemental recommendation, brings your judgment into a question in a really serious way.

An0maly · 11-04-2009, 05:47 PM

Ok, I won't be sending the teacher one then. I did send one supplemental one from a director at a program where I volunteered for 2 summers. It was not a very personalized recommendation, although it did talk about how I have been there for over 6 years, have been helpful, and a general description about a field trip that I helped with. It was well written and definitely made me "glowing," but it did not seem to discuss me very in depth, at least character wise.

Should I be concerned about sending this, or do you think it would be alright since it is still a pretty good letter? Thanks.

WishyWashy · 11-04-2009, 07:16 PM

I really think that you shouldn't send this one either. For it to be "not very personalized" and "pretty good" really just isn't enough to justify sending it. If they don't ask for something, then it it needs to be truly above and beyond to warrant its submission.

An0maly · 11-04-2009, 07:22 PM

I have sent it already, so that's not an option for me. I'm just wondering how detrimental it would be. It validates what I wrote about my summer activities and does talk about me, although not to the extent that my other recs did.

Since I've sent it already, is it really going to be very bad in the admission committee's eyes, or just not a very big issue.

An0maly · 11-05-2009, 09:45 AM

anyone? 10char