<p>I’ve been waitlisted to Wellesley College and the College of William and Mary, both of which I’d love to attend. I’m about 99% positive I’d go to Wellesley if accepted and maybe 95% positive I’d go to W&M if accepted there and not to Wellesley. I’ve been told that I need to demonstrate my interest by sending extra recommendation letters and writing a letter myself. I’ve asked two of my senior year teachers (one is an art teacher, the other science) and the chairwoman of the committee for which I worked for my internship (not my supervisor, who I didn’t interact with as much) to write me recommendation letters for these colleges. My mom urged me to ask the chairwoman, although I thought two teachers was enough.</p>
<p>My question is, is three letters of recommendation overkill? Will it just annoy the admissions officers? All three letters will have similar information, since both teachers and the chairwoman asked me for some background information about myself in addition to what they know about me as a student/employee.</p>
<p>bump
Please, I need some guidance.</p>
<p>Three letters of recommendation is definitely overkill. I don’t even think you need one. Most of the schools that waitlisted me specifically said in their letters not to submit additional recs, because they already have everything they need to make a decision - there just wasn’t space.</p>
<p>Here’s what you should do (and what I will do, as I’m in the same position): talk to your high school counselor to make sure he/she knows what your plans are and can advocate on your behalf (I’ve heard of admissions officers calling counselors to confirm interest), and write a letter of continued interest to your regional admissions officers, in which you reaffirm your love for the school and mention that you will enroll there if accepted.</p>
<p>See what your counselor can find out about the waitlists; how many are on it, how many they have accepted the past few years. At some schools they actually put more students on the “waitlist” than they accept! Sad to say, it has often become more a marketing ploy than a real waitlist. They assure those on the list that the school thinks they are just as qualified as those that got in (although for some reason they took the other kids…) So what’s the benefit in doing this? At the home HS, word gets around that Joe was waitlisted at X & Y. Kids with similar stats are encouraged to apply; after all if Joe was waitlisted then with just a bit more luck they’ll get in. This encourages a stream of applicants in the future, letting them keep their selectivity numbers up.</p>
<p>Its a really tough situation to be in. They will take <em>some</em> kids off the waitlist at most schools. Its just that if they take 10 and there are 3,000 (like at Duke) then the odds are pretty low. </p>
<p>So what to do? I’m not sure sending more letters of rec is going to help unless it adds some new info. Writing a letter expressing your interest is a smart idea, as is having your counselor inquire on your behalf. Writing a letter to one college saying it is your 1st choice and you will enroll if accepted is sometimes said to be helpful.</p>
<p>Since this is an advice forum, here’s advice. Give a lot of consideration to declining the waitlist. By staying on it, you’re not going to be able to fully commit to the college where you have accepted a spot. You won’t know until mid summer whether you get off the waitlist in many cases, so in the meantime its going to be hard to be as enthusiastic about your current college as you would be if you were 100% sure you were going there. It can be hard to close doors. And those are 2 wonderful schools. But hopefully the one you are currently planning to attend is a great fit for you, too.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice, guys. I’m going to call the colleges to make sure they accept rec letters - as long as they do, I think I’m going to go ahead with it since I have already asked everyone, and I guess I have nothing to lose. Unfortunately my guidance counselor was completely booked up last week, but hopefully I can see her this week.
I don’t think the college I’m currently planning to attend (haven’t enrolled yet) is that great a fit for me, but I’ve recently been warming up to it and I’m visiting for the first time next weekend - I hope I like it!</p>