I got a recommendation letter from an Alum who is a partner at PWC. I did a job shadow program with him. I was not going to do anything with it, since the instructions say not to include, but my mom sent it to the Dean of Smeal. I am so upset. Is this going to negatively impact my chances? Should I do anything or just hope they get stuff like that from meddling moms all the time and trash it.
I would not do anything else. I don’t think it will hurt your chances. Because the admissions process does not run through the dean of the college as in smaller schools, the dean probably just threw the letter out and admissions has no idea that it was sent. Penn State says that if they get recommendation letters, they will not consider them. So the dean would not have forwarded your letter to admissions.
With 45,000 students, I am sure they have had more than their share of meddling moms. Your GPA and your stats are what get you into Penn State. If they disqualified every student that had a meddling moms I’d bet that the campus would be much smaller 
Try not to worry. I think doing anything else would just heighten the issue. My advice would be to let it go. If you feel you MUST do something - a short apology e mail to the dean saying that your mother sent the letter and that he/she should disregard may make you feel better and not negatively influence anything.
do absolutely nothing. The Dean will never see the letter. His admin asst will triage it. Small chance it will be forwarded to admissions (where they would throw it out), but it is likely it will go to recycling.
Exhale…no harm done. But DO explain to mami that she cannot do that, as there will be things it will be harmful with! And that she is not to call or email any school for any reason…I am a mom. And I think you have right to ask her to land the helicopter:)
She’s just trying to help, so don’t be too mad. We can’t help it!