Recommendations Dilemma - Help!

[verdant9016]

Hi there, I'm applying for an ivy league master's program and I can only submit two recommendations, but I have three really good references:

- One is a professional reference from my supervisor from my most recent job, I worked with her for four years.

- One is an academic reference from my undergraduate professor at CUNY. She was a professor for one of my honors classes and the advisor to my honors program, so she knew me for two years. I technically don't need to submit an academic reference since I've been working full-time for more than six years now, but I asked her anyway because I heard CUNY might help with the application process. 

- The last one is a professional reference from someone who is a board member for one of the university's schools (not the one I'm applying to though). He's very influential but my connection with him is slightly weaker since I only did an internship at his company when I was in high school.

I'm not sure which two to submit- I know they're all going to write good things, but obviously I want to submit the recommendations that will help the most. Any advice on this?

[Pugsy98]

If you can only submit two, I’d go with your recent supervisor and your undergrad professor. Your supervisor is a must since you worked with her for four years she can speak to your professional growth and skills, which grad schools care a lot about, especially if you’ve been out of school for a while.

Even though the academic rec isn’t required, it still helps to have one  and yours sounds solid, since she was your honors advisor and actually knows your work well.

The board member sounds cool, but since the connection is kinda old (high school internship) and not directly tied to the program you’re applying to, it probably won’t carry as much weight. Unless he’s writing something super personal and specific, it might come off more as a name-drop than anything meaningful.

So yeah, go with the two who know you best and can speak to what you’d bring to the program. Strong, relevant recs > fancy titles any day.