How many letters is too many to ask for?

[rgreen]

Hi everyone,

I know that recommenders put in a little time tweaking each letter for each school.. that said, how many schools do you think is too many to ask for? I have no idea how long it usually takes once their letter is written, but I don't want to be a burden having too many schools. Thanks in advance!

[cwr]

Hi rgreen,

I'm also applying this cycle. I won't give you a number that is "too many", but simply say that I am having my recommenders submit a lot (and I mean a lot) of letters. I'm already applying for seven or eight different (inter)national funding sources, plus a relatively long list of programs.

My recommenders, since I let them know in advance that I was planning to apply to a large number of programs, are fine with it. So, communication is key either way! If you're not sure, I would talk with them about it. 

[sixgunguerilla]

If you feel that asking for too many letters may negatively impact your ability to obtain letters, consider using a dossier service. A great many schools -- particularly if you contact the director of your program or graduate director -- are open to this. (Not all, keep in mind)

It is also an added bonus because you are then opening up a line of communication with someone at your intended program. 

[TakeruK]

My faculty members that wrote letters for me say that it takes about 1 hour to write the letter and then 5-10 minutes per school to change the school names in the letter, figure out how to log into the system, upload the letter, and fill out any questions that the school might ask for along with the letter itself (e.g. "How would you rank this candidate...." type questions). So you can probably estimate their time commitment as 1 hour + N/6 where N is the number of schools you are applying to. I think that 8-12 schools (up to 3 hours of total time) is a typical number. But if you have reasons to apply to more (two body problem, for example), I think anything up to 20 schools would still be a reasonable request as long as you give them enough time and advance notice.

[birchleaf]

Hey!

I'm in a class that's about the state of the field and professionalism in it as well, and the idea of letters of rec came up. My advisor was actually leading the class that day, and he said that for one of his students he had sent a total of 35 letters through the course of having her as a student. As a courtesy you should make sure you're giving them a clear timeline, as well as updates and warnings for due dates. It might seem a little overbearing, but if you've ever peeked over the shoulder of a professor while looking at their inbox, you'll realize that they can often be very busy and forgetful (and for good reasons!). I wouldn't feel bad about asking for so many letters, just make sure you're doing it cohesively and as chunks, instead of random 2am emails a week beforehand. Two weeks out minimum is a good rule.