Grad school application: Too many LORs?

I’ve applied to grad school twice in my life and have gotten in. I would suggest send in the minimum amount plus 1 but no more. I’ve talked to many an admission staff, they really don’t want 6, ever.

I would send the three or four best ones you have. Targeted is better than shotgun style.

Choose the best among them and send them in. Choose the ones that support strengths that would be of benefit in your chosen program.

I would never send more than the application asks for. If they require 2, they will likely select 2 at random, and throw out the others. Having more lettes just means giving more work to the selection committee, not to mention that you are giving more work to your referrees, who you’ll probably have to ask favours from again in the future.

That being said, if you applying to more than one school, you don’t have to use the same referrees for each one. Send the most appropriate letters to each school. Personally, I would avoid the leadership program letter – grad schools will only want letters from academics.

The friends I had in college undergraduate admissions used to say, uniformly, “The thicker the folder, the thicker the kid.”

Avoid excess.

I had five. I was also told “the more the better,” but by the schools to which I was applying. It is not inappropriate to write to each department to which you are applying and ask how many to send. In general, though, I agree with @Simone_De_Beauvoir: no one wants six, so go with the required number plus one if you don’t know they are willing to read more. Also, drop the one from the leadership program. It would only be relevant if you were trying to get into a leadership-based program.

@marinelife You can’t choose among the best. Letters of recommendation are private between the recommender and the program to which you are applying. You can refuse to waive your right to read the letters, but then the admissions committee takes them less seriously. It’s basically academic suicide.